“I think that the region has gone through various calamitous confrontations,” Gargash said. “I don’t think we need another one.”
The United Arab Emirates on Tuesday issued a pointed call for de-escalation between Iran and the United States, warning that the Middle East cannot absorb another war as threats and preparations mount ahead of renewed talks.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Anwar Gargash, adviser to the UAE president, stressed that the region has already paid a heavy price for repeated confrontations.
“I think that the region has gone through various calamitous confrontations,” Gargash said. “I don’t think we need another one.”
Gargash urged Washington and Tehran to move toward direct engagement, saying ongoing tension benefits no one. “I would like to see direct Iranian-American negotiations leading to understandings,” he said, warning that without such talks, crises will continue to resurface “every other day.”
The UAE’s intervention came as diplomatic activity intensified. Senior U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Tuesday ahead of planned Iran–U.S. talks later this week.
Witkoff is expected to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior security officials, including Eyal Zamir, according to an Israeli security source.
Negotiations are expected to begin Friday in Turkey, with Witkoff scheduled to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the talks could also include Jared Kushner and foreign ministers from several regional states, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Pakistan, and Oman.
The agenda is expected to cover Iran’s nuclear program as well as broader issues such as Tehran’s ballistic missile capabilities.
Iranian officials, however, signaled limited expectations. Vahid Ahmadi, a member of Iran’s parliamentary National Security Commission, said U.S. demands run counter to Iran’s national interests, making a breakthrough unlikely.
The diplomatic push follows a warning from Donald Trump, who said the United States is deploying additional warships to the region. W
hile Trump said he prefers a negotiated outcome, he cautioned that failure to reach a deal could lead to “bad things,” underscoring the stakes as talks approach.…Read more by Yoel Stavsky