Iran's aggression against Gulf nations has "isolated Tehran at a critical moment" and created hostilities with its neighbours that will last beyond the war, said Dr Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to President Sheikh Mohamed.
The senior Emirati official said Iran's escalation against its neighbours "confirms the narrative of those who see Iran as the region's primary source of danger and its missile program a permanent cause of instability".
"Your war is not with your neighbours," he wrote on X.
"Return to your senses, to your surroundings, and deal with your neighbors with reason and responsibility before the circle of isolation and escalation widens," he urged Iran.
Iran said it responded to a US-Israeli attack on Saturday by targeting American bases in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Jordan.
The UAE said it intercepted three waves of Iranian missiles in its airspace, describing the attacks as "a violation of its sovereignty and dangerous escalation that threatens the security of the region", state news agency Wam reported.
“Iranian decision makers increased Iran’s isolation in its response to the Israeli and American strikes by targeting the Gulf," Dr Gargash said. "Iran needs Gulf states to stop this war from dragging on and expanding."
He added that Tehran's "short-sighted" attacks could create long-term hostilities and distrust with its neighbours.
"It will lead to damage that extends beyond the war in our relationship with Iran," he said. "The UAE will not sit cross-armed in the face of Iran's attacks and will review its options."
Dr Gargash said the government's priority is to protect the UAE and its residents. "We are, I think, in good shape with emergency plans in place, our air defences have done a great job. We will continue to protect the UAE and everybody living here," he said.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said he called his regional counterparts after the attacks to clarify that Iran was "exercising its right to self-defence". He added that it was "regrettable targets are located in friendly states".
Dr Gargash described Iran's rationale for attacking the Gulf as "unconvincing" and "unreasonable". He said Tehran crossed a red line by infringing on Gulf states' security. "We cannot accept Iran's justifications, which are not convincing," he added. "They were not convincing in the 12-day war and they are not convincing now."
Iran had fired missiles at Al-Udeid airbase in Doha last June following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, creating a renewed rift with its Gulf neighbours.
Dr Gargash said Gulf states publicly and privately pushed for a diplomatic resolution between Washington and Tehran and played a key role in attempting to avoid a confrontation. "We did not support the choice of war," he said. "Regardless of our differences with Iran, we are neighbours and we chose the path of peace and dialogue because the region cannot afford more conflict."
The UAE had said it would not allow its airspace or territory to be used to attack Iran, repeatedly calling for de-escalation and dialogue to solve heightened tension between the US and Iran. Dr Gargash said Tehran breached a "gentlemen's agreement" between the countries, which implied no use of Gulf territories to launch attacks against Iran in return for non-aggression.
"We're extremely, extremely dismayed and condemn Iran's enlargement of this conflict in order to include neighbours that have worked very, very hard to avert this moment," Dr Gargash said.
He said the "expected escalation", which was weeks in the making, was caused by unresolved crises fuelled by a lack of proper dialogue on the nuclear file. "There is no alternative to a political solution," he said.
The UAE official urged the warring parties to "go back to the negotiating table", saying current hostilities "are not part of the solution and a return to the negotiating table is important".
