US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held high-stakes diplomatic talks with Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on 12 September 2026. The rare meeting took place on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi, India, marking their highest-level interaction since severe military and diplomatic friction erupted between the two countries earlier in the year.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Conflict Context & Strained Relations
Ties between Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) collapsed following critical escalations in West Asia:
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Military Strikes: In late February and March, Iran launched sustained ballistic missile and drone strikes targeting energy infrastructure, ports, and commercial areas across Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The UAE responded by ordering direct retaliatory airstrikes on Iran.
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Economic Suspension: Following the missile attacks, the UAE suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran.
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Diplomatic Fallout: The geopolitical rift deepened after allegations that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited the UAE during the conflict, leading Iranian officials to accuse the UAE of colluding in aggression against Tehran.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Key Outcomes of the Meeting
Despite the heavy friction and public recriminations from their respective delegations, the leaders focused on preventing further escalation:
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Calls for Restraint: Both leaders publicly backed a BRICS joint statement emphasizing maximum restraint, the protection of civilians, and respect for territorial integrity.
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Focus on De-escalation: According to statements released by the Abu Dhabi Media Office and the Iranian embassy, discussions centered tightly on reducing regional tensions and promoting stability to preserve global trade, supply chains, and maritime security.
The meeting marks a vital tactical breakthrough under India’s BRICS chairmanship, as member states work to bridge widening geopolitical divides across the Gulf region.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: Pre-Summit Bitterness & Public Spats
The encounter occurred despite an incredibly volatile diplomatic backdrop leading right up to the summit:
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The “Enemy” Label: Merely months prior, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan uncharacteristically departed from usual diplomatic language to openly label Tehran “the enemy” after strikes hit Emirati cities, stating that the UAE has “thick skin and bitter flesh” and is “not an easy prey.”
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Accusations of Collusion: Just days before the meeting, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi publicly lambasted the UAE during a preliminary BRICS ministerial session. Araghchi asserted that the UAE was “directly involved in aggression” against Iran and accused them of colluding with Israel, warning Abu Dhabi that Western alliances would not guarantee its safety.
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Summit Communidé Threat: The rift was so severe that Iranian officials openly questioned whether the BRICS summit would even be able to issue a final joint declaration due to intense disagreements between the two delegations.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: India’s Role as the Peacemaker
As the host and chair of the 18th BRICS Summit, India actively engaged in tightrope diplomacy to salvage the event’s unity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held standalone bilateral meetings with both Pezeshkian and Crown Prince Khaled. By utilizing New Delhi as a neutral diplomatic platform, India successfully nudged both sides to sit down, ultimately facilitating the adoption of the New Delhi Declaration, which collectively expressed “deep concern” over West Asian hostilities.
US-Israel-Iran War Latest Live News: What Was Said Behind Closed Doors
While official statements from the Abu Dhabi Media Office and Iranian media focused on generic “de-escalation, peace, and development,” President Pezeshkian provided a clearer picture in a subsequent interview with Indian media.
He clarified that Tehran holds no inherent issue with the UAE itself. Instead, Iran’s core grievance remains the presence of U.S. military bases in the Gulf region, which Iran claims are leveraged to threaten its sovereign territory.
Though the dialogue did not resolve the deep-rooted military tensions, the fact that both countries signed off on a joint call for restraint suggests a mutual desire to prevent a wider, uncontrollable regional war.
