UAE announces closure of embassy in Tehran in response to Iranian strikes

By Sherif Tarek

 

United Arab Emirates closed its embassy in Tehran and withdrew all its diplomatic mission in response to Iranian missile strikes targeting the Gulf country, condemning the attacks. 

 

“These hostile attacks against civilian sites, including residential areas, airports, ports, and service facilities, endangered innocent civilians in a serious and irresponsible escalation and constitute a flagrant violation of national sovereignty,” the UAE’s Foreign Ministry said Sunday in a statement on X. 

 

Dubai and Abu Dhabi have faced hundreds of missiles and drone attacks from Iran since Saturday morning, with Tehran retaliating against US-Israeli airstrikes. Most of them have been intercepted, yet there are some reports of casualties and damage to multiple areas in both cities. 

 

 

The attacks have led to panic among residents and posed a huge threat to the UAE’s economy and status as a stable financial, logistics and tourism hub. The UAE’s two key stock markets will close on Monday and Tuesday to avoid a possible meltdown. 

 

The UAE’s Foreign Ministry later said it had summoned Iran’s ambassador, Reza Ameri, and handed him a strongly worded letter protesting the Iran’s “terror” attacks on the country’s territories.