Mohammed Al Mazrouei, Minister of State for Defence Affairs, held key talks in Abu Dhabi with Alistair Carns, UK Minister for the Armed Forces, centred on joint efforts to address “evolving security challenges”.
The two ministers discussed military and defence co-operation, and explored ways to support regional and international stability.
They underlined the importance of exchanging expertise and developing defence partnerships to strengthen armed forces' capabilities.
Mr Carns was received by a military guard of honour as he arrived for the ministerial meeting in the Emirates, in video shared by the UAE's Ministry of Defence.
The visiting minister, in an interview with Sky News Arabia, hailed the UAE leadership for keeping its public safe – including 200,000 British citizens – as it came under heavy attack by Iran.
“It's worth thanking the leadership here [in the UAE] for what an amazing job they have done, not just in protecting the region but protecting the country, the citizens and really importantly for me is the 200,000 Brits that live here across the UAE,” Mr Carns said.
“It's been a remarkable job. I spent 24 years in the military, so I know good military capability when I see it and it's been absolutely a fantastic effort. We saw a reckless response from Iran, striking 10 different countries with thousands of ballistic missiles.”
The UAE's air defence systems intercepted 537 ballistic missiles, 26 cruise missiles and 2,256 drones throughout the onslaught.
Two UAE Armed Forces personnel and a Moroccan civilian contractor working for the military were killed. Ten civilians were killed and more than 220 were injured.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer visited the UAE this month, during which he held talks with President Sheikh Mohamed over the implications of the Iran war.
Mr Starmer said the UK stood in solidarity with the UAE when it came to measures taken to defend itself, and ensure the safety of its territory and people.
Those talks came as Britain set out plans to deliver a new generation of missiles capable of taking out Iranian drones and missiles to the country's Middle East allies in May.
John Healey, the UK’s Defence Secretary, said the artificial intelligence start-up Cambridge Aerospace had won a Middle East contract for “hundreds of new missiles and launchers”.
The new interceptor missile made by Cambridge Aerospace is known as Skyhammer and is designed to counter Shahed-style attack drones.
