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Iran’s terrorist and unprovoked attacks on energy infrastructure in the UAE – and across the Gulf – must be called out clearly and without equivocation. These are not isolated attacks nor are they limited in consequence. They represent a direct aggression against sovereign states, a destabilisation of regional energy systems, and a challenge to the collective progress towards a more secure and sustainable energy future.
At a time when the international community is accelerating efforts to build cleaner and more resilient energy systems, such actions are both reckless and strategically dangerous. They target the very foundations upon which modern economies – and international co-operation – depend.
The threat is concrete and specific. Energy infrastructure across the region has been deliberately targeted. This has included attempted strikes on critical sites such as the Habshan gas facility in Abu Dhabi and facilities linked to the South Pars field as well as Ras Laffan Industrial City in Qatar. These illegal attacks directly endanger global energy security and regional stability in clear violation of international law.
The threat to the region’s energy security is being further exacerbated by Iran’s purported attempts to block the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery through which nearly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas, over a third of its fertiliser and substantial petrochemicals flow daily. Such actions have immediate global consequences, including surging energy prices and disruptions to supply chains.
The real impact, however, extends far beyond what has been struck. Energy infrastructure is not merely a collection of physical assets. It underpins every aspect of contemporary life. It powers hospitals, enables water desalination, sustains industry and supports economic activity at every level. When it is deliberately targeted, the consequences are immediate, disruptive and far-reaching. They do not stop at national borders.
Energy systems across the Gulf – and globally – are deeply interconnected. Disruption in one country can quickly cascade across the region, affecting supply chains, increasing costs and fuelling volatility in international markets. What begins as a localised attack rapidly becomes a regional and global concern.
More importantly, these disruptions extend beyond systems and markets. They affect people. They shape the daily realities of households and businesses alike – raising the cost of living, limiting access to essential services and increasing economic uncertainty. In this sense, attacks on energy infrastructure are not only attacks on states; they are attacks on lives and livelihoods around the world. This is precisely why such actions must be understood for what they are: strategic disruptions with global human consequences.
For the renewable energy sector, the implications are particularly serious. Renewable energy has become central to national energy strategies across the Gulf and beyond. It offers a pathway to greater energy independence, resilience and long-term stability. Countries are investing heavily in renewable infrastructure not only to address climate change, but to shield their economies from the volatility that has long characterised traditional energy markets.
By targeting energy infrastructure across the Gulf, including in the UAE, Iran is not only seeking to disrupt immediate supply. It is undermining confidence in the regional energy architecture that underpins global markets and future energy systems. This is a dangerous precedent.
An attack on renewable energy infrastructure is not just an attack on a specific facility or technology. It is an attack on the global energy transition itself. It risks deterring investment, slowing deployment and weakening the momentum that has been built through years of international co-operation.
If such actions are left unchallenged, they send a signal that no part of the energy system – no matter how critical to global stability – is beyond the reach of war. This is why clarity of response is so important.
The international community must move beyond cautious language and unequivocally condemn Iran’s attacks across the Gulf. While the global response has been significant, more must be done. The historic UN Security Council Resolution 2817, co-sponsored by 136 countries, condemned in the strongest terms these unprovoked attacks and demanded that Iran immediately and unconditionally cease all provocations, including those targeting critical energy infrastructure and regional stability.
This was reinforced by the International Maritime Organisation Council’s decision, backed by more than 115 Member States – the highest level of co-sponsorship in its history – which condemned Iranian threats against vessels and its purported closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital artery for global energy supplies, as a grave danger to life and a serious risk to the marine environment. A Human Rights Council resolution, supported by over 100 states, has also called on Iran to provide full, effective and prompt reparations to victims, including those affected by attacks on energy systems and essential services.
In parallel, a joint statement from a broad coalition of partners condemned attacks on commercial vessels and civilian infrastructure, including oil and gas installations, as well as the de facto closure of the Strait, and called on Iran to cease all hostile actions and comply with Resolution 2817.
This is not simply a matter of political positioning. It is a matter of preserving the norms that underpin regional and global stability. It must reaffirm a fundamental principle: that energy infrastructure – across all forms, including renewable energy – is not a legitimate target under any circumstances.
The UAE has long stood as a model of forward-looking energy policy by investing in renewable energy, fostering international collaboration and hosting global platforms such as the International Renewable Energy Agency for the benefit of the international community.
To target this region, and its energy infrastructure, is to challenge a shared vision in which energy is a source of stability rather than conflict and in which co-operation prevails over confrontation. This is a vision in which the transition to sustainable energy strengthens, rather than undermines, global security. This is not an abstract debate. It is personal. It is about the safety of our people, the security of our infrastructure and the integrity of a model that has consistently chosen progress over provocation.
The time for ambiguity has passed. The international community must take a clear and principled stand – condemning these terrorist attacks, reinforcing the protection of energy infrastructure and working collectively to ensure that such actions are neither repeated nor normalised.
Energy must never be weaponised. Silence must never be mistaken for neutrality and the protection of our shared future must begin with decisive action today.
We will defend our nation and safeguard our people. We will uphold the stability, prosperity and tolerance that define us. The UAE will endure – remaining open, resilient and committed to protecting all who call it home.
