The United Arab Emirates is walking a political tightrope, opposing Iran during the ongoing war while also appearing to placate its Arab partners with opposition to Israel on numerous occasions.

Speaking at the GLOBSEC Forum 2026 in Prague last week, UAE Minister of Foreign Trade Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi asserted that the Strait of Hormuz must remain an open international waterway and warned that no single party should be permitted to control or weaponise it against global markets. "The Strait of Hormuz must remain open and accessible to international navigation," Al Zeyoudi was quoted as saying by local media. 

The remarks came after US President Donald Trump indicated on social media that Washington and Tehran had "largely negotiated" a memorandum of understanding that would reopen the strait, while cautioning that the US would not be rushed into a deal.

Officials familiar with the negotiations have said a framework agreement is approximately 95% complete.

Iranian strikes on Gulf Cooperation Council states and Tehran's closure of the strait had already triggered a significant operational response from Abu Dhabi. 

Al Zeyoudi outlined a series of measures enacted in the aftermath, including the activation of alternative trade routes designed to bypass the strait and maintain supply chain continuity, alongside the launch of an AED 1bn ($272mn) economic support fund targeting business continuity and SME assistance. 

This strategy already appears to be yielding results. According to a study by Forbes, the UAE emerged as one of the Gulf's most insulated economies from the disruption, with pre-built bypass infrastructure allowing continued hydrocarbon exports as crude output across the seven OPEC+ members bordering the strait fell to 14.6mn barrels per day in April, a decline of nearly 40% from February levels.

"The logistics restructuring programme we originally planned to deliver over a decade is now being implemented within years," Al Zeyoudi said.

The remarks are nonetheless emblematic of a carefully calibrated balancing act.

Reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited Abu Dhabi during the war triggered a warning to the Emiratis from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi, though the UAE denied the visit took place. Separate reports alleging Emirati military strikes against Iran prior to the ongoing ceasefire have gone unconfirmed by the government.

On the Palestinian front, Abu Dhabi has maintained a consistent line of condemnation. A UAE delegation led by Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs Sultan Al Shamsi attended the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee Ministerial Meeting in Brussels, where it reiterated opposition to West Bank annexation and settlement expansion and welcomed the launch of the second phase of the US-led Gaza peace plan. 

The UAE also joined the Group of Eight Arab-Islamic states on May 24 in condemning Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who was filmed taunting Gaza-bound flotilla participants held in Israeli detention.

However, recent strikes overnight between Iran and the US at its base in Kuwait suggest that peace efforts have veered off in recent hours as the two continue to face off against each other. 

Abu Dhabi has reportedly seen an increase in expatriate Europeans in recent days, according to those speaking with IntelliNews, which suggests a return to normalcy on the ground. However, things remain tentative to say the least, with airline traffic to several Persian Gulf countries seeing a drop in traveller numbers.