Iran’s deputy FM: UAE should be held accountable

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Garibabadi has accused the United Arab Emirates of supporting the United States' military operation against Iran, saying Washington's decision to ease export controls on the Gulf state amounted to official confirmation of Abu Dhabi's role.

In a post on social media platform X, Garibabadi said the U.S. move was an official acknowledgement that the UAE had supported the operation. He argued that the decision carried international legal implications and said Abu Dhabi should be held accountable, Caliber.Az reports.

وزارت بازرگانی آمریکا سند جدیدی را منتشر کرده: تسهیل مقررات کنترل صادرات و ارتقای جایگاه صادراتی به امارات به پاس حمایت آن از تجاوز نظامی علیه ایران. این اعتراف رسمی واشنگتن و سند رسوایی ابوظبی، مسئولیت بین‌المللی و آثار حقوقی مستقیمی دارد. امارات باید پاسخگو باشد. pic.twitter.com/ODYdzcIXS4

— Gharibabadi (@Gharibabadi) July 10, 2026

The comments came after the U.S. Department of Commerce announced on July 10 that it was upgrading the UAE's status under U.S. export control regulations, citing the country's role as a key U.S. defence partner and its support for U.S. national security interests, including Operation Epic Fury.

According to the department, the changes will expand the UAE's access to U.S.-controlled military technologies, dual-use technologies and advanced computing systems, including drones, artificial intelligence chips, and servers.

During the conflict, Iran repeatedly launched strikes on targets in the UAE, with Iranian officials saying the attacks were justified because the country hosts U.S. military facilities and cooperates with Israel.

By Sabina Mammadli