The United Arab Emirates has denied claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he secretly visited the Gulf nation and met President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the recent conflict involving Iran.
Netanyahu’s office earlier claimed that the meeting with Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed resulted in a “historic breakthrough” between the two countries.
However, the UAE Foreign Ministry swiftly rejected the reports, describing them as “entirely unfounded” and stressing that relations between the UAE and Israel are conducted transparently under official diplomatic agreements.
“The UAE reaffirms that its relations with Israel are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements,” the ministry said in a statement.
The Abraham Accords established diplomatic relations between Israel and several Arab countries during US President Donald Trump’s first administration.
According to Reuters, a source claimed the alleged meeting took place in the oasis city of Al Ain near the Oman border and lasted several hours.
Iran reacted strongly to the reports, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accusing Netanyahu of revealing what Iranian intelligence had already warned about regarding regional cooperation with Israel.
He described any alleged collusion with Israel as “unforgivable” and warned that those involved would “be held to account”.
The latest controversy comes amid heightened regional tensions following the conflict between Iran, Israel and the United States.
During the war, Iran reportedly launched missiles and drones targeting the UAE, criticising the Gulf nation for its increasingly close ties with Washington and Tel Aviv.
US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Tuesday that Israel had deployed anti-missile batteries from its Iron Dome system to help the UAE defend against Iranian attacks.
Huckabee described the deployment as evidence of the “extraordinary relationship” between the UAE and Israel under the Abraham Accords.
Meanwhile, reports by The Wall Street Journal claimed the UAE may have also carried out strikes against Iran during the conflict, including an alleged attack on a refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island in April, although Abu Dhabi has not publicly acknowledged such actions.
Emirati presidential adviser Anwar Gargash maintained that the UAE remains committed to diplomacy while defending its right to protect itself.
“Arab-Iranian relations in the Gulf cannot be built on confrontations and conflicts,” he said.
Although a ceasefire between the US and Iran has been in place for around a month, tensions remain high as Iran continues blocking the Strait of Hormuz in response to US-Israeli military actions, contributing to rising global oil prices.
Iran recently submitted conditions for ending the conflict and reopening the strategic waterway, but Trump rejected the proposal, calling it “totally unacceptable” and saying the ceasefire was “on massive life support”.
Iranian parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf later warned that Iran’s armed forces were prepared to respond to any future aggression.
