The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has called for de-escalation following recent Iranian airstrikes while reaffirming its right to self-defence under international law.
The UAE ambassador to Germany, Ahmed Alattar, made this known in an interview with Handelsblatt newspaper published on Tuesday.
Alattar said the UAE would continue to work with the United States to prevent further escalation in the region, stressing that the country retained the full right to defend itself.
According to him, the UAE has come under sustained attacks since the conflict began over two weeks ago, with Iran launching strikes on Gulf states.
He added that Iran’s newly appointed supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, had urged Gulf countries to shut down U.S. military bases, warning that attacks would otherwise continue.
Alattar said the UAE was currently acting in self-defence and called on Iran to immediately halt the strikes.
He noted that despite the UAE’s stance that its territory would not be used for attacks against Iran, it had been targeted with missiles and drones, including strikes on residential buildings, airports and other civilian infrastructure.
The ambassador warned that the ongoing conflict threatens the UAE’s long-standing position as a regional hub for logistics, finance and tourism.
He, however, expressed hope that a diplomatic solution to the crisis could still be achieved.