UAE's Gargash Says Iran President's 'Balanced' Statements Amid War Can't Be Ignored

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Calling it a 'delicate juncture', the advisor to the UAE President, Anwar Gargash, on Sunday hailed the meeting between Iran's President and Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince.

The two leaders met at the sidelines of the 18th Brics Summit in New Delhi, India, on Saturday, September 12, during which they spoke about the importance of supporting efforts to ease tensions, promote de-escalation and strengthen regional stability, while advancing opportunities for peace and development for the people of the region.

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The talks come as US and Iran renewed occasional attacks against each other, after a brief pause in strikes for most of August - a comforting sign of diplomatic progress.

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In a statement, Gargash said the meeting between Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Masoud Pezeshkian, President of Iran, embodied UAE's approach grounded in the dual pillars of deterrence and diplomacy, as "neither can stand without the other".

"Deterrence bolsters the credibility of diplomacy, while diplomacy succeeds when it emanates from a position of parity and capability, ultimately forming the optimal path toward achieving stable and sustainable regional security."

'Rational, balanced' position

The official also highlighted the Iranian President's stance and statements during the war, which began on February 28 as US and Israel launched attacks on Iran, resulting in retaliatory strikes by Iran across the region.

"It is also worth noting that President Pezeshkian expressed, during the protracted crisis, positions and statements characterised by balance and rationality - stances that cannot be ignored at this delicate juncture," wrote the advisor.

During the conference that brought together regional leaders, Pezeshkian said Tehran had "no problem" with the UAE.

“The UAE, the Emiratis and other countries of the region are our brothers. We have been living together for a long time and we have had trade. We have supported each other,” he said.

The Brics bloc includes both Iran and the UAE, alongside Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia. The group of nations unanimously adopted a joint declaration on Saturday, expressing "deep concern" over the war in the Middle East, that began with and urged maximum restraint, advocating for a "multilateral approach" that respects national viewpoints.

Towards the end of August, Pezeshkian, while speaking to India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of a regional security meeting in Kyrgyzstan, said Iran still seeks a negotiated end to war.

"We are still trying to achieve an agreement and understanding, and we believe that continuing the war is in no one's interest, neither ours, nor the region's, nor humanity's," Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency quoted him as saying.

"We believe the solution to the existing issues is dialogue and cooperation and that every capacity must be used to prevent the spread of insecurity and conflict."

Tensions flare across the region

After the expiry of the 60-day memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the US and Iran on August 17, there has not been much diplomatic progress across the region. Gulf countries have faced the brunt of the tit-for-tat fighting between US and Iran and the naval closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Gargash recently revealed Iran had launched 3,300 missiles and drones at the UAE over the course of several weeks, with the vast majority of the attacks targeting civilian infrastructure. Most of the projectiles were intercepted by the country's air defences.

The official has time and again called for sustained de-escalation, freedom of navigation through Hormuz, credible guarantees against further Iranian attacks, and renewed respect for sovereignty and non-interference.

Commenting on the current turbulent nature of the crisis, Gargash had earlier said the region could not continue in a state of "no war, no peace" endlessly.

"The stability and future of its people demand clarity in vision and path. At the same time, the coming phase cannot be based on fragile rules or arrangements detached from international law and the foundations of peaceful coexistence and the logic of peace."

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