Iran's Gulf gambit: Attacking the UAE to shift US calculations
Tehran is escalating pressure on the United Arab Emirates through strikes and rhetoric, signaling a strategy to widen the conflict and indirectly force Washington to ease its blockade on Iranian ports.
TEHRAN — Iran's intensifying confrontation with the United Arab Emirates marks a significant shift in its wartime calculus — one that prioritizes indirect pressure over direct escalation with a more superior US military.
Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command denied on Tuesday that it has launched any attacks against the United Arab Emirates in recent days, but warned it would deliver a “crushing response” if the Gulf state takes action against Iran.
Yet the broader messaging ecosystem — from hard-line media to regime-aligned strategists — has exposed its intentions. The result is a dual-track strategy: official deniability paired with ideological escalation.
Following reports of missile and drone attacks intercepted by Emirati air defenses, including a fire at the Fujairah oil complex, Iranian state media cited a senior military source as denying "plans" to target the UAE. Yet the same source issued a stark warning: If Abu Dhabi allows itself to be used by Israel, it will have to face consequences which it would "never forget."
