The United Arab Emirates has called on Iran and the United States to reach a nuclear agreement and defuse rising tensions as the two rivals prepare to resume high level talks later this week, warning that the Middle East cannot afford another conflict.
Iranian and US officials confirmed that negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear program will resume on Friday in Turkey, reviving diplomatic efforts after months of escalating rhetoric and military signaling. The talks come amid a buildup of US naval forces near Iran and renewed warnings from President Donald Trump about the consequences of a failed agreement.
Speaking at the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Anwar Gargash, an adviser to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, stressed the need for direct engagement between Washington and Tehran.
“I think that the region has gone through various calamitous confrontations,” Gargash said during a panel discussion. “I do not think we need another one, but I would like to see direct Iranian American negotiations leading to understandings so that we do not have these issues every other day.”
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The UAE, a close US ally and one of the most influential Gulf states, has increasingly positioned itself as a voice for regional de escalation, particularly as fears grow of a wider war involving Iran and its rivals.
US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi are expected to meet in Istanbul in what officials describe as an effort to revive diplomacy and prevent a new regional conflict, according to Reuters. A regional diplomat said representatives from countries including Saudi Arabia and Egypt are also expected to take part.
The renewed talks follow weeks of heightened tension after the United States deployed warships near Iran’s coast. Trump has said Iran is “seriously talking,” but warned that failure to reach a deal could lead to severe consequences.
Iranian officials have said preparations for negotiations are under way, though positions on key issues remain far apart.
According to multiple Iranian sources cited by Reuters, Iran’s leadership is increasingly concerned that a potential US strike could threaten the survival of the ruling system by reigniting public unrest.
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Officials told Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei that anger over last month’s violent crackdown on protests has reached a point where fear is no longer deterring public dissent. The crackdown was the deadliest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, according to Iranian officials and rights groups.
Iranian sources said Trump has set three core conditions for progress in the talks. These include halting uranium enrichment inside Iran, curbing Tehran’s ballistic missile program, and ending support for allied groups across the region.
Tehran has long rejected limits on its defense capabilities and regional alliances, while insisting its nuclear programme is peaceful. Western governments dispute that claim.