The Emirates News Agency reported that UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received a phone call from US President Donald Trump on March 2. During the call the two leaders addressed Iranian attacks on the territory of the UAE and a number of brotherly countries in the region. The discussion also covered developments taking place in the area and their implications for regional and international security and peace. The presidents exchanged views on these issues according to the agency.
A letter dated March 3 from the UAE Permanent Representative to the United Nations detailed that Iranian strikes began on February 28 with 174 ballistic missiles detected by March 2 of which 161 were destroyed and 13 fell into the sea. The same letter to the UN Security Council stated that eight cruise missiles were detected and destroyed while 689 drones were detected of which 645 were intercepted and 44 fell within the country. The attacks resulted in three fatalities of Pakistani Nepali and Bangladeshi nationalities along with 68 injuries among multiple nationalities including Emirati Egyptian Ethiopian and others according to the document.
The Emirates News Agency reported a follow-up call on March 19 in which Trump condemned the Iranian attacks as violations of state sovereignty and international law. That WAM dispatch noted the strikes had targeted civilians civilian infrastructure and vital facilities. The US president affirmed solidarity with the UAE and full support for efforts to defend its territory stability and security during the later conversation.
According to a letter from the UAE to the UN Security Council the attacks constituted a flagrant violation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and a breach of international law and the UN Charter. The document outlined that the UAE would take all necessary measures consistent with international law to protect its territory people and residents. Material damage occurred to civilian properties such as hotels residential buildings airports and port facilities as a result of the strikes the letter added.
WAM has reported that the UAE President engaged in parallel calls with regional leaders including the Saudi Crown Prince and the leaders of Qatar and Kuwait around the same period. Those discussions similarly addressed recent developments in the region and ways to respond to the security threats. The agency indicated that the collective diplomatic efforts focused on the serious implications of the Iranian actions for stability across the Gulf.
