In meeting with Rubio, UAE president warns against wider conflict

ABU DHABI – UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan used talks with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday to reaffirm the Emirates’ opposition to the displacement of Palestinians and to stress that Gaza’s reconstruction must be tied to a political process leading to a two-state solution.

Hosting Rubio in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed discussed bilateral cooperation and regional developments, with particular attention given to the war in Gaza and its implications for Middle East stability.

In remarks released by the UAE, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the country's “firm stance, rejecting any attempts to displace the Palestinian people from their land.”

He also stressed that reconstruction efforts in Gaza should not be treated separately from a broader political settlement.

The UAE president “underscored the importance of linking Gaza’s reconstruction to a path that leads to a comprehensive and lasting peace based on the two-state solution as the only manner of ensuring stability in the region.”

Sheikh Mohamed further warned against any widening of regional conflicts, emphasising “the need to prevent the expansion of the conflict, which poses a threat to regional peace.”

The comments highlight Abu Dhabi’s continued insistence that post-war recovery efforts in Gaza be accompanied by a credible political framework addressing Palestinian statehood.

The meeting came as Washington seeks to build on an interim understanding reached with Iran last week and to stabilise a region shaken by months of conflict.

According to the US State Department, Rubio and Sheikh Mohamed also discussed the memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran, efforts to secure navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and broader regional security issues.

State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said the two sides discussed “efforts to secure full and safe transit through the Strait of Hormuz, and the importance of peace and stability in the region.”

Pigott added that Rubio thanked the UAE for its support and “reaffirmed the US commitment to the security of the Emirates.”

The talks were attended by a number of senior Emirati officials, including Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Ruler of Abu Dhabi and National Security Adviser, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and UAE Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al Otaiba.

Rubio left Abu Dhabi after the meeting and is due to continue his regional tour with visits to Kuwait and Bahrain.

All three nations host strategic US military bases, and were hit by an onslaught of Iranian missiles, resulting in civilian deaths.

Balancing act

Asked on arrival in the Gulf region if he planned to address allies’ disquiet with the accord, Rubio told reporters: “That most certainly will come up in these discussions.” He said they would also discuss issues not covered by the memorandum of understanding.

America’s top diplomat has been largely absent from Iran-related discussions in recent weeks, with Vice President JD Vance instead leading a round of talks with Iranian counterparts over the weekend in Switzerland.

The UAE faces particularly severe economic strains, as the war caused some expatriates at the core of its non-oil economy to flee the global financial centre, which prides itself on stability in a volatile Middle East.

The Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for roughly a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, has been heavily disrupted since the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28, curbing commercial shipping and rattling global energy markets.

Separately, there are plans for regional reconciliation talks to be held in Riyadh between Iran, Gulf Arab states and possibly other regional countries.

Rubio’s remarks during his swing through the region are closely scrutinised to see how the man once known as a hawkish critic of Iran frames a deal that many congressional Republicans argue amounts to capitulation.

Rubio and Vance, both former US senators, are widely viewed within Republican Party circles as potential candidates to succeed Trump.

Iran’s nuclear programme

Rubio’s mission is delicate: While he needs to defend a preliminary accord that Trump firmly supports, he also has to credibly address the concerns of his Gulf  counterparts.

Iran and the United States signed a 14-point memorandum of understanding last week setting out broad agreements in principle to end the war. The interim accord paved the way for 60 days of talks aimed at hammering out thornier details, including issues related to Iran’s nuclear programme.

A central issue in talks is what will happen to Iran’s highly enriched uranium, including material enriched to up to 60 percent purity, a short step from the roughly 90 percent of weapons grade. Tehran says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes.

US regional allies are especially concerned that Iran could use the proposed $300 billion reconstruction fund  to rebuild its military.

The accord also does not address Tehran’s ballistic missile capacity, a concern for Gulf states, which were struck by Iranian missiles and drones in the war.