The UAE closes its embassy in Iran and recalls its ambassador following deadly retaliatory strikes across the Gulf that killed four people and injured dozens.
DUBAI: The United Arab Emirates announced the closure of its embassy in Tehran and the recall of its ambassador on Sunday. The move followed a series of Iranian retaliatory missile and drone strikes across the Gulf that killed at least four people and wounded dozens more.
It marks the strongest condemnation yet by a Gulf state since Tehran began targeting the region. The attacks came after the US and Israel launched a massive air campaign against Iran that killed its supreme leader and other top officials.
The UAE foreign ministry condemned the “hostile attacks against civilian sites, including residential areas, airports, ports, and service facilities”. It said the strikes endangered innocent civilians in a serious and irresponsible escalation.
The UAE had fully reopened its embassy and sent a new ambassador to Tehran in 2022 during a thaw in relations. Saudi Arabia later followed suit in a diplomatic rapprochement.
Iran’s continued and unprecedented bombardment has raised fears of a wider conflict. The strikes have rattled a region long seen as a haven of peace and security in the turbulent Middle East.
For a second day, powerful blasts were heard in Dubai, Doha and Manama. Explosions were also reported in Riyadh as Iran launched counterstrikes.
Tehran also appeared to target a building complex in Abu Dhabi housing several foreign missions, including the Israeli embassy. Two people were injured by debris during the incident at Etihad Towers.
Three people have been killed in the UAE since Saturday, according to Abu Dhabi’s defence ministry. The victims were Pakistani, Nepalese and Bangladeshi nationals.
Since Saturday the UAE detected 165 ballistic missiles, destroying 152, and intercepted two cruise missiles. It added that 506 of 541 Iranian drones were shot down.
The Kuwaiti health ministry said one person had been killed and 32 others injured since Saturday. In Oman, the port of Duqm was targeted by two drones, the Oman News Agency said.
Oman’s foreign minister Badr Albusaidi later pushed for a ceasefire on a call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi. Earlier, Oman said an oil tanker was targeted off the coast, injuring four crew members.
The Gulf Cooperation Council convened via video-link on Sunday night. The members’ foreign ministers said afterwards they would “take all necessary measures to defend their security and stability… including the option of responding to the aggression”.
Jordan said five people have been injured and a number of homes damaged across the kingdom. The country has also been intercepting missiles and drones over the past two days.
Across the Gulf, civilian infrastructure has been hit from airports and seaports to residential buildings and hotels. Security analyst Anna Jacobs said the Gulf countries are now on the front lines of a brutal war.
“Gulf countries, as always, want to support de-escalation and diplomacy,” she added. “But this commitment and these principles are being put to the test right now.”
Early Sunday, drones struck the airport in Bahrain’s capital Manama, causing minor damage. The US embassy in Manama urged citizens to steer clear of hotels, warning they could become potential targets after the Crowne Plaza was hit.
In the UAE, two people were injured when debris from intercepted drones fell on homes in Dubai. On Saturday, the Iranian attacks sparked fires at landmarks such as The Palm seafront development and Burj Al Arab hotel.
At the airport in Abu Dhabi, at least one person was killed and seven wounded during what authorities called an “incident”. Another died earlier in the day from falling debris.
Dubai airport, the world’s busiest for international traffic, and Kuwait’s airport, were also hit. In Saudi Arabia, Iranian missiles targeting Riyadh’s international airport and the Prince Sultan Airbase were intercepted.
A witness near the airport said they “saw and heard the air defence intercept the missile in the sky”. In Qatar, officials said Iran had launched 65 missiles and 12 drones towards the Gulf state.
Most projectiles were intercepted, but eight people were injured, with one in critical condition. The oil-and-gas-rich Arab monarchies host a clutch of US military bases.
