Iran Warns the UAE, Riyadh Denies a Seat, Doha Keeps Mediating: The Fallout From Netanyahu’s Abu Dhabi Trip

Benjamin Netanyahu flew to Abu Dhabi on Sunday 27 September to meet UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed. Within 48 hours, four capitals had answered. Iran’s Foreign Ministry warned the Gulf states, a Saudi source denied that any Saudi representative took part, the UAE condemned an Israeli minister’s visit to Jerusalem’s holy site, and Qatar’s prime minister called Netanyahu a war criminal while promising to keep mediating between Washington and Tehran.

The trip was not announced in advance. The Emirates News Agency said that “the two sides discussed bilateral relations between the UAE and Israel and ways to strengthen and develop them.”

Iran’s Foreign Ministry told “all countries of the region” to be vigilant. A Saudi source and a Jordanian official denied any part in the visit. The UAE Foreign Ministry condemned Itamar Ben Gvir’s Temple Mount visit. Qatar’s prime minister told Piers Morgan that Netanyahu is a war criminal and that Doha will keep mediating.

Abu Dhabi and Jerusalem. The Associated Press, as carried by The Times of Israel on 28 September, reported that Netanyahu went to ask Sheikh Mohamed to deny reports that the Emirati leader had warned him of a Hamas threat before 7 October 2023. The AP cited one person who claimed firsthand knowledge of the meeting. Netanyahu’s office called the report “fake news” and said the meeting was about relations between the two countries. Israel Hayom and France 24 had reported on 8 September that the Emirati leader gave such a warning, following a Haaretz investigation.

Tehran. On Tuesday 29 September Iran’s Foreign Ministry answered. In the translation carried by The Times of Israel, it called Netanyahu “the child-killing and war-mongering Prime Minister of the Zionist regime” and said “all countries of the region should be vigilant about the consequences and repercussions of such a presence, which threatens the collective peace and security of the region.” The Israeli press headlined the phrase “highly dangerous consequences”.

Riyadh and Amman. An Israeli journalist had posted that Saudi representatives joined an expanded meeting after Netanyahu’s one-on-one talks with Sheikh Mohamed, covering Iran, the Houthis and regional defence. A Saudi source told Arab News that “there was no truth to the reports circulating about the presence of a Saudi representative at the meeting” and that “there were no meetings involving other countries.” A Jordanian official also denied any Jordanian participation, according to the same report. Ynet, which had carried a version of the claim, later said it could not confirm that such a meeting was held.

Abu Dhabi again. On Monday Itamar Ben Gvir, Israel’s national security minister, visited the Temple Mount compound. On Tuesday the UAE Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the visit, calling the continued attacks “a systematic extremist campaign,” and stressed “the need to respect the historical and legal status quo of Al-Aqsa Mosque.”

Doha. In an interview with Piers Morgan, reported by The Jerusalem Post on 29 September, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani was asked about Gaza. He said: “what’s been committed in Gaza is war crimes. And whoever is responsible for this is a war criminal.” Pressed on whether that included Netanyahu, he said yes. On the US campaign against Iran, he said Qatar had a call from Washington shortly before it began: “I got a call from the White House.” Middle East Eye reported that Doha will continue its diplomacy efforts. According to The Jerusalem Post, he named three pillars for a deal with Iran: the nuclear file, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and security arrangements between Iran and its Gulf neighbours.

Netanyahu’s visit was on Sunday, Ben Gvir’s on Monday, and the Iranian and Emirati statements came on Tuesday. The UAE Foreign Ministry condemned Ben Gvir one day after his visit, and its statement asked the Israeli government to hold “ministers and officials within the Israeli government” accountable, according to The Times of Israel.

Iran’s statement is addressed to “all countries of the region”, not to the UAE by name. The Saudi and Jordanian denials came from unnamed officials, not from a foreign minister. Arab News quoted the Jordanian official as attributing the reports to electoral motives on Netanyahu’s side, and Al Jazeera noted that Knesset elections are due in October.

In our report on 29 September, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Qatar was carrying Iran’s new Hormuz ideas to Washington. Sheikh Mohammed’s list of three pillars, as The Jerusalem Post reported it, includes reopening Hormuz.

Nobody on the record has said what Netanyahu asked for in Abu Dhabi. The AP account of a request to deny the October 7 warning comes from one unnamed person, and the Prime Minister’s Office rejects it. Ynet said it could not confirm its own report of a wider summit. WAM says only that bilateral relations were discussed.

Watch whether Abu Dhabi says more about the meeting itself. So far the UAE has said one WAM sentence about the meeting and condemned Ben Gvir. Watch whether Tehran follows its warning with a step against the UAE. Watch for a US answer to Iran’s Hormuz plan, which Qatar is carrying. Watch Israel’s October election campaign, where the Saudi source and the Jordanian official have already denied the Gulf summit claim.