Mending the Rift: Iran and the UAE’s Post-War Ties

Iran’s historically thorny relationship with the United Arab Emirates is entering a sharper, more complex phase, mixing pressure, deterrence, and cautious diplomacy. In the wake of the war and the midst of the present cease-fire, Tehran is signaling to Abu Dhabi that cooperation with US military efforts against Iran carries consequences, while keeping the door open to dialogue with the UAE. The message is clear: neutrality is no longer optional, but confrontation is not inevitable. At the same time a bilateral economic relationship crucial to Iran hangs in the balance. As vulnerabilities in the UAE’s security and economic model are exposed, both sides face a strategic choice: escalation or managed coexistence. What comes next in Iranian-Emirati relations

Please join us for a timely discussion on the shifting balance, risks, and opportunities ahead in Iran’s relationship with the UAE. This conversation will feature SAIS Senior Fellow Afshin Molavi, Asharq al-Awsat Columnist Nadim Koteich, and MEI Senior Fellow Alex Vatanka. MEI Vice President for Policy, Dr. Kenneth M. Pollack, will moderate.

Speaker Biographies

Afshin Molavi
Senior Fellow, Foreign Policy Institute, Johns Hopkins University School of Advances International Studies 

Nadim Koteich
Columnist, Asharq al-Awsat

Alex Vatanka
Senior Fellow, Middle East Institute

Kenneth M. Pollack (Moderator)
Vice President for Policy, Middle East Institute

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Afshin Molavi is a Senior Fellow at the Foreign Policy Institute of the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). He writes broadly on emerging markets, particularly on themes related to The New Silk Road, new emerging markets, energy, and the intersection of Middle East states and the global economy.

Nadim Koteich is a professional journalist and media personality with 20 years of experience working with various media outlets, including newspapers, televisions, and online platforms. Nadim has performed many roles in most aspects of production and management. The program DNA in 2012 was a turning point in his career and paved a new path in the Arab media in general.

Alex Vatanka is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, specializing in Middle Eastern regional security with a particular focus on Iran. Born in Tehran, he is the author of The Battle of the Ayatollahs in Iran: The United States, Foreign Policy and Political Rivalry Since 1979 (2021) and Iran and Pakistan: Security, Diplomacy, and American Influence (2015). He is currently working on his third book, Grand Contest: The Rivalry of Iran, America, and Israel in the Arab World.

Kenneth M. Pollack (Moderator) is Vice President for Policy at the Middle East Institute. Dr. Pollack began his career as a Persian Gulf military analyst at the CIA and served twice on the National Security Council, first as Director for Near East and South Asian affairs and then as Director for Persian Gulf affairs.