UAE, UK discuss maritime security cooperation amid Iran tensions
The UAE and UK have discussed enhancing international cooperation to protect maritime routes and safeguard global trade freedom. The meeting in London also addressed regional developments and Iranian attacks targeting civilian sites in the Emirates using missiles and drones.
The United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom held talks on Friday focused on strengthening international cooperation to secure maritime routes and ensure the free flow of global trade, according to the official Emirati news agency WAM.
London meeting tackles Iranian attacks
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan met with UK National Security Advisor Jonathan Powell in London. Both sides discussed ways to enhance international cooperation to protect shipping lanes and promote freedom of commerce. The meeting also addressed overall regional developments and “the repercussions” of Iranian attacks that targeted “civilian sites and facilities in the UAE using missiles and drones,” WAM reported. Powell expressed Britain’s solidarity with Abu Dhabi.
Ongoing regional tensions
Regional tensions have remained high since the US and Israel launched strikes against Iran on February 28, prompting retaliatory attacks by Tehran against Israel and US allies in Gulf countries, along with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. A Pakistan-brokered ceasefire took effect on April 8, but talks in Islamabad failed to produce a lasting agreement. President Trump later extended the truce indefinitely while maintaining a blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports through the strategic waterway. Türkiye continues to advocate for de-escalation and dialogue, warning that disruption to Gulf maritime routes threatens global energy security.
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