Israeli Officials Says Warming UAE-Iran Ties are ‘Not Acceptable’

Israel is hoping to form an anti-Iran military alliance with the UAE and other Gulf nations

The UAE’s national security advisor visited Iran on Monday in a sign of warming ties between the two nations, and Israel is unhappy about the rapprochement.

During the visit to Iran by the UAE’s Tahnoun bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Iranian officials said they were happy to ease tensions with Abu Dhabi. “Improving ties with the regional countries is my government’s priority, therefore we welcome improving ties with the UAE,” said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi.

An Israeli official told the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that the UAE’s diplomacy with Iran is “worrying” and “not acceptable.” Israel normalized relations with the UAE last year and is hoping to work with Abu Dhabi and other Gulf states against Iran.

A major aspect of the US-brokered normalization deals was to isolate Iran in the region. Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett reportedly raised the idea of an anti-Iran NATO-style military alliance in the Middle East in a meeting with President Biden over the summer.

Israel has been moved under US Central Command’s area of operations to foster cooperation between the Jewish state and the US’s Arab allies. In November, the US, Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain held their first official joint military exercises, showing a united front against Iran.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.