Secret talks have been ongoing between Israel and the United Arab
Emirates, focused on sharing intelligence against Iran and possibly
military cooperation. The talks have progressed to the point that the US
is now joining the talks too.
Israel and the UAE have some security ties, but don’t have public
relations. That they’re discussing Iran reflects Israel’s long-standing
hostility toward Iran, and the UAE’s close proximity to Iran.
While some are presenting the US joining of the talks as proof they are making progress, a lot isn’t understood about what’s going on, and particularly unclear is what the UAE is trying to work out.
The UAE seems to be trying to balance multiple interests, as they’ve
tried to talk to Iran about maritime security in recent days, and seem
not to be looking to pick fights with them. That’s in stark contrast to
Israel, for whom picking fights with Iran is the centerpiece of decades
of foreign policy.
It’s clear that the UAE has an interest in keeping the US happy, and
that probably requires keeping Israel at lease sort of placated in this
regard. So while they aren’t trying to start anything against Iran
they’re trying to walk the tightrope of balancing both sides to keep
everyone satisfied.
US Joins Secret Talks Between Israel and UAE Targeting Iran
UAE trying to balance regional interests with keeping US happy
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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