‘An attack that affects us all': UAE diplomat calls on Iran to rebuild 'damaged trust' with Gulf countries
UAE advisor Anwar Gargash called Iran's missile strike on Qatar a violation that affects the entire Gulf and urged Tehran to restore damaged trust/ Image: X@mofauae
UAE Presidential Advisor Dr. Anwar Gargash has publicly called on Iran to take urgent steps to rebuild trust with Gulf nations, following Tehran's missile attack on the Al Udeid U.S.
military base in Qatar. His remarks, delivered via a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, come in the aftermath of regional tensions linked to Iran's response to U.S. and Israeli military actions.
Gargash, who serves as diplomatic advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates, said that Gulf countries had deliberately pursued a de-escalatory approach to the Israel-Iran war, seeking to resolve differences, particularly surrounding Iran's nuclear program, through diplomacy and multilateral engagement.
However, he said Iran's decision to target Qatar, a fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) state, had undermined those efforts and harmed collective regional confidence.
'The nations in the region had taken a stance against the Israeli war on Iran, working through all international platforms to de-escalate the situation and calling for a resolution of outstanding issues, chief among them the nuclear file, through political means,' Gargash stated.
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Despite these efforts, Gargash emphasized that Iran had crossed a line by launching a missile strike at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, an act he said threatens all GCC states, not just its immediate target.
'Iran targeted the sovereignty of the brotherly State of Qatar, an act that affects us all,' he said.
'The Gulf states took a strong and impactful stance against the Israeli war on Iran. Today, as we turn the page on the war, Tehran remains required to rebuild trust with its Gulf neighbors, having damaged it through this aggression.'
Qatar Condemns Attack, Says Right to Respond Reserved
On June 23, Iran launched missiles toward the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which houses the largest U.S. military installation in the Middle East. The attack followed U.S. strikes the day before, as part of coordinated military action.
Qatari officials stated that the attack was successfully intercepted, with no casualties or injuries reported. In a formal response, Qatar condemned the missile strike as a 'flagrant violation' of its sovereignty and said it 'reserved the right to respond.'
A U.S. official also confirmed that there were no casualties at the base.
U.S. Strike: Operation 'Midnight Hammer'
The Iranian missile launch came in response to a U.S. military operation carried out on June 22, code-named 'Operation Midnight Hammer.' As part of this operation, B-2 stealth bombers dropped more than a dozen bunker-buster bombs on Iran's nuclear facilities at Fordow and Natanz, while Tomahawk cruise missiles struck the Isfahan site.
These U.S.
military actions took place after the United States joined Israel's campaign during what has been referred to as the 12-Day War, a recent period of heightened hostilities between Iran and Israel.
Trump Reacts to Iran's Strike
U.S. President
Donald Trump
dismissed the Iranian strike as 'very weak.' He said Iran had given 'early notice' of the attack and thanked the Islamic Republic for the advance warning, which he said 'made it possible for no lives to be lost, nobody to be injured.' Trump added, 'Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same,' he wrote on his Truth Social platform.
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