Iran warned the United Arab Emirates against ‘colluding’ with Israel and developing an enmity with the people of the Islamic Republic. Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, without naming UAE directly, remarked that “colluding with Israel to sow division will be held to account”.
Araghchi’s post came after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office released on Wednesday a statement saying that he made a “secret visit” to the UAE in a bid to improve relations and military connections amid war between Iran and the United States, backed by Israel.
Araghchi said that Iran’s security services already knew about the secret meet and warned that enmity with Iran’s people is a “foolish gamble”.
Shying away from naming UAE directly, Iran’s foreign minister said that those “colluding” with Israel will be held accountable.
Track live updates of Trump’s visit to China here
“Netanyahu has now publicly revealed what Iran’s security services long ago conveyed to our leadership. Enmity with the Great People of Iran is a foolish gamble. Collusion with Israel in doing so: unforgivable. Those colluding with Israel to sow division will be held to account,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
However, the UAE denied Israel’s claims about Netanyahu’s visit.
What Israel PMO said
On Wednesday, Israel PMO’s social media shared a post saying that Netanyahu visited the United Arab Emirates amidst Israel’s ‘Operation Roaring Lion’ against Iran. It said that meet was a breakthrough in ties between Israel and Iran’s Gulf neighbour.
“In the midst of Operation Roaring Lion, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the United Arab Emirates, where he met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed,” the PMO posted.
“This visit has led to a historic breakthrough in relations between Israel and the UAE,” it added.
UAE denies claim
However, just hours later, the United Arab Emirates’ foreign ministry denied the claim of a “secret visit” by Netanyahu and reaffirmed that its “relations with Israel are public”.
“UAE Denies Reports Regarding Visit by Israeli Prime Minister or Receiving Any Israeli Military Delegation,” it wrote in a post on X accompanied by the statement that urged media house to “refrain from circulating unverified information”.
“The UAE reaffirms that its relations with Israel are public and conducted within the framework of the well-known and officially declared Abraham Accords, and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements. Accordingly, any claims regarding unannounced visits or undisclosed arrangements are entirely unfounded unless officially announced by the relevant authorities in the UAE,” the statement said.
What reports say
A report by new agency Reuters said, citing a source familiar with the meeting, that Netanyahu met United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on March 26 and that the meeting lasted for hours.
It said that both the leaders met in Al-Ain city.
The source also told Reuters that chief of Israel’s intelligence agency Mossad, Dedi Barnea, also visited UAE during the war with Iran to coordinate military actions.
Barnea’s visit was also reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Israel’s revelation of Netanyahu’s visit, which UAE has denied, came after US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said on Tuesday that Israel sent batteries for its Iron Dome interception system and personnel to operate them to the UAE during the war with Iran.
