BRICS Summit: UAE Slams Iran's Attack Justifications

Tensions boiled over at the BRICS foreign ministers' conclave in India when UAE's Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar launched a vehement critique of Iran's aggressive posturing. Dismissing Tehran's narrative, he highlighted how these strikes undermine global norms and threaten peace. The UAE has borne the brunt of nearly 3,000 unprovoked attacks since late February 2026, with its air defenses neutralizing missiles and drones aimed at critical civilian targets: airports, oil facilities, water plants, power networks, and homes. This aggression ignores a chorus of international rebukes, from UNSC Resolution 2817 to consensus resolutions at the UN Human Rights Council, IMO, ITU, and FAO. Al Marar emphasized the UAE's unwavering stance against threats to its sovereignty and decision-making autonomy. Iran's disruption of international sea lanes, particularly the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz, equates to economic blackmail and piracy, with ripple effects on global trade and energy security. 'We neither seek security from others nor tolerate baseless accusations,' Al Marar affirmed, invoking Article 51 of the UN Charter for the UAE's right to robust self-defense. Pressure tactics and falsehoods, he warned, will not weaken UAE's resolve to protect its national interests amid escalating regional volatility.