UAE remains an oasis of prosperity

As Iranian meddling in the Middle East continues we will defend our values

Coalition troops in southern Yemen port city of Aden. Faisal Al Nasser / Reuters

In the early months of the 2003 Iraq war, correspondents in some of the southern parts of Iraq reported seeing Iranian flags flying at checkpoints. Since then, the influence of Iran has expanded enormously, to the point where some of the Iraqi militias appear to be funded primarily from Tehran.

A similar movement is occurring elsewhere in the region. Last week brought credible evidence of what the Gulf states have been saying for many months, that the Houthi rebels are being supplied with weapons by Iran. Research by the UK-based Conflict Armament Research showed that thousands of assault rifles, sniper rifles and even anti-tank missiles could be traced to a smuggling route with Iranian connections.

Over the weekend, reports emerged that Iranian state-sponsored hackers were likely behind an attack that targeted the Saudi central bank. All of this is completely separate from the overt support that Iran has thrown behind Bashar Al Assad as he continues his murderous assault on his people. And, of course, it says nothing of Iranian support for Hizbollah, which is now fighting side by side with Syrian regime forces and Iranian proxies inside Syria.

The instability, chaos and war fomented by Iran throughout the Middle East is shocking in its scale and audacity. Time and again, offered the opportunity to play a responsible part in the region, Tehran has taken the path of sectarianism, division and instability.

After the nuclear deal was signed with the United States, there was some hope that Tehran might finally see sense and play a constructive role. The Gulf states opposed the nuclear deal, in part because it was discussed behind the backs of America’s traditional allies, but mainly because it was a bad deal that would reward Iran for its meddling and destabilising pursuit of nuclear technology. The one potential upside of the deal was that it might curb Iranian meddling. In the months since, such meddling has only increased.

Seen from this side of the Arabian Gulf, there is a clear contrast between what Iran seeks to do and what the Gulf states are doing. The first and most obvious contrast can be seen in the open and thriving cities of the Gulf. Just in the UAE, Abu Dhabi and Dubai are global cities that have no parallel anywhere in Iran. That is in no way gloating. On the contrary, Iranians are the heirs to a great civilisation and Iran’s young people fully deserve to participate in the opportunities of a globalised, networked region. It is merely their government which sows the seeds of mistrust with their Arab neighbours.

For our part, the UAE will continue to provide a model of peace, prosperity and tolerance, for the region and the wider world. At home and abroad, we seek to live our values. It is because we believe in stability and opportunity for all that we have joined the Arab coalition to restore the legitimate government in Yemen. It is the reason we have exerted such efforts to rid the region of the threat of extremism, both in its current manifestation with ISIL and its intellectual roots online, through our anti-extremism organisation the Sawab Centre. And it is the reason we have sought to spread human rights and dignity, welcoming thousands of Syrians over the coming months and years.

In doing all of this, we hope to serve as a beacon of prosperity in the region. We want to see a thriving, peaceful region – but with threats around us, we are also willing to stand up for our beliefs.