The UK has removed the UAE from a list of countries that citizens are advised against travelling to, after the US and Iran signed a peace deal to end the regional war.
The Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) also updated its advice for Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. Announcing its changes, the FCDO said it “no longer advises against all but essential travel” to those countries.
“The US and Iran have announced a memorandum of understanding in relation to the conflict in the Middle East,” the department said. But it added that "the situation remains unpredictable and attacks could resume at short notice".
The FCDO said that before the April 8 ceasefire was announced, the Iranian regime "stated its intention to target locations in the Gulf associated with the United States and Israel".
"This included US or Israeli-linked organisations, businesses, facilities and institutions," it said. "Iran has previously targeted civilian infrastructure across the region such as ports, hotels, roads, bridges, energy facilities, oil production sites, water systems and airports."
The FCDO said it no longer advises against all but essential travel to Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province and to Riyadh Province. But the UK office said that advice relating to border areas between Saudi Arabia and Yemen – guidelines that existed before the war – remained in place. Citizens are advised against travelling to within 10km of the Saudi border with Yemen and are warned against all but essential travel to areas between 10km and 80km of the border.
When the Iran war first broke out, many airlines suspended flights to countries in the region. British Airways suspended flights until October 2026 and Virgin Atlantic did the same until winter the following year, although Emirates airline has continued to operate flights during the conflict.
