UAE evacuates citizens and residents from Iran amid rising tensions
Image courtesy: WAM
The UAE has evacuated a number of its nationals and residents from Iran, according to the UAE's state news agency, WAM, as regional tensions continue to rise.
The evacuations were carried out in coordination with Iranian authorities, reflecting what WAM described as the UAE's 'unwavering commitment to the safety of its nationals and residents' and its ability to respond swiftly to emergencies.
The UAE has successfully executed evacuation operations, which were coordinated and facilitated by the Iranian side, to ensure their safe return home, the report stated.
The announcement comes amid heightened instability in the region following a recent escalation in hostilities between Israel and Iran, which has prompted widespread airspace closures and flight suspensions across the
UAE focused on fostering peace and stability
In addition to the evacuation, the UAE has intensified diplomatic engagement with regional and international partners to help de-escalate tensions.
The UAE is conducting 'intensive calls and diplomatic consultations' rooted in its belief in diplomacy and dialogue as the only sustainable path toward peace.
The UAE's efforts, the report noted, are part of its broader foreign policy vision of 'fostering stability, justice, and prosperity for the peoples of the region'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The National
35 minutes ago
- The National
Iran vows payback for US strikes but leaves door to diplomacy open
Iran has vowed to respond to US strikes on its nuclear sites but signalled on Sunday it is not shutting the door on diplomacy. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, speaking at an emergency meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation (OIC) in Istanbul, accused Washington of 'betraying diplomacy ' by enabling Israeli attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, then launching direct strikes of its own. 'They crossed a very big red line,' Mr Araghchi said. 'I don't know how much space is left for diplomacy. We are now assessing the damage but my country has been attacked – and we will respond.' Despite the warning, Mr Araghchi said Iran remained open to negotiations: 'The door to diplomacy must remain open." The US has signalled that its military operation is complete. Officials in Washington have portrayed the strikes as limited, aimed at containing Iran's nuclear programme, not toppling the regime. It marked a dramatic turn after days of debate over whether the Donald Trump administration would join the Israel-Iran conflict directly. Tehran, however, sees the strikes as a co-ordinated escalation. Mr Araghchi said the US had given Israel the 'green light' to launch its initial attacks, and then followed up with its own, breaking any diplomatic trust that remained. 'Regrettable consequences' For its part, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced it would continue 'Operation True Promise 3', a retaliatory campaign it claims has already involved 20 waves of strikes on Israeli targets. 'In response to this aggression and crime, Operation True Promise 3 will continue in a precise, focused and devastating manner, targeting the regime's infrastructure, strategic centres and interests,' an IRGC statement read. It warned that US military bases across the region are now "liabilities". The statement added: 'The aggression by the terrorist US regime has opened the path to responses that go beyond the delusional calculations of the aggressor front. The invaders of this land should expect regrettable consequences." The strikes have raised fears of wider escalation across the Middle East. Iran has long threatened to target US military assets or close the strategic Strait of Hormuz if attacked directly. While Tehran's network of regional proxy groups has been weakened in recent years, officials suggest that channel remains a possible avenue for retaliation. Mr Araghchi said Tehran is evaluating its response options but suggested Iran would not rush into an all-out conflict. The developments come amid rising global concern over the potential collapse of the nuclear non-proliferation framework and the further destabilisation of a region already strained by a number of crises.
Middle East Eye
an hour ago
- Middle East Eye
US attacks Iran: What are the Islamic Republic's options?
The US launched a surprise bombing attack on three Iranian nuclear facilities late on Saturday, bringing America directly into Israel's war against the Islamic Republic. Donald Trump said the air strikes had "completely and totally obliterated" the Fordow, Natanz and the Isfahan sites, in an effort to disable the Islamic Republic's nuclear enrichment capability. As of 11am GMT, it remained unclear whether the Fordow plant, buried deep under a mountain and protected by anti-aircraft batteries, was partially or completely destroyed. Al Jazeera Arabic reported that Washington had notified Tehran in advance of the strikes, and that the targeted sites were evacuated. Meanwhile, Amwaj Media, citing an Iranian political source, reported that "most" of Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium were kept in secure locations outside of the three targeted areas. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Iran has threatened to retaliate against the American attacks, and on Sunday issued a warning that "every American soldier and citizen in the region is a legitimate target". With the situation still developing, Middle East Eye takes a look at what options are on the table for Iran. Attacks on US assets The US has a range of military bases across the Middle East. Key bases are located in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Syria, Bahrain and Iraq. Following the strikes on Iran, a commentator on Iran's IRIB state broadcaster said that every American citizen and soldier in the region was a "legitimate target" and aired a map showing US bases in the region. "You started it and we'll finish it," he said. Kuwait's finance ministry said on Sunday that it had set up shelters in the country's ministries complex. The shelters can accommodate around 900 people, the ministry said in a statement on X. Withdraw from Non-Proliferation Treaty The US attack on Iran has led some Iranian lawmakers to call for withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty, which promotes disarmament and the use of peaceful nuclear energy.
The National
an hour ago
- The National
What did Iran say about nuclear damage and radiation after US strikes?
As the US, Israel, and much of the world assess the fallout from the American strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Tehran has offered only limited details about the actual impact. And for good reason: Iran's nuclear programme is not just a scientific endeavour, it's a strategic insurance policy. The regime has spent decades building it. If it crumbled overnight, Iran would lose one of its most powerful bargaining chips in any negotiation with the west. So, what exactly has Iran said? Nuclear contamination Iran's Nuclear Safety System Centre was quick to issue a statement claiming that 'no nuclear contamination' had been detected at or around the sites targeted by US strikes. 'Following the criminal attack by the US on the nuclear sites at Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan, Iran's Nuclear Safety System Centre immediately conducted the necessary investigations,' the statement read. 'Based on the safety measures and planning, as well as data recorded by radiation detection systems, no signs of contamination have been detected. Therefore, there is no threat to residents living near the mentioned nuclear sites.' Fordow takes a hit Iranian officials claimed that most of the uranium previously stored at the F ordow enrichment facility had been moved to an undisclosed location before the strikes took place. An Iranian source told state media: 'The exact location of the relocated uranium is not specified.' Satellite images, however, suggest serious damage to Fordow's entrance, evidence of what appears to be a direct hit from multiple 30,000-pound US bunker-busting bombs. While Iranian state media acknowledged the site 'was attacked by the enemy,' it stopped short of revealing the extent of the internal damage. Fordow was more than just a facility; it was Iran's nuclear vault, a heavily fortified centre buried deep within a mountain. Its symbolic and strategic value far exceeded its physical contents. Its fate now remains uncertain. There has been no official word from Tehran about the level of damage to other key sites, such as Natanz and Isfahan. Notably, the nuclear reactor in Bushehr, closer to the Gulf and heavily watched by Gulf states, was not struck. What about the nuclear stockpile? Iran has amassed significant quantities of enriched uranium and operates thousands of centrifuges. While Tehran claims much of the uranium was safely relocated, there is no clear information on the current condition or location of the remaining material. It is worth mentioning that neither Iran nor the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has reported any radiation leaks. IAEA weighs in The IAEA, which monitors Iran's nuclear activities, said the latest strikes on the Isfahan complex damaged six buildings, in addition to four previously hit. However, it added that facilities targeted either contained no nuclear material or small quantities of natural or low-enriched uranium, suggesting that a ny contamination would have been limited to the damaged structures. IAEA chief Rafael Grossi announced that the agency's Board of Governors will convene for an emergency session on Monday.
