UAE rejects reports of strike on Iran, calls claim ‘fake news’

Dubai, Mar 9: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has strongly denied reports claiming that it carried out a military strike on Iran, dismissing the claims as ‘fake news’ amid the ongoing escalation in the West Asia conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.

Reports circulating on social media and some international media outlets suggested that the UAE had attacked an Iranian desalination plant on Sunday, marking what would have been the country’s first direct military action against Iran since the war began on February 28.

The report was initially published by The Jerusalem Post, which cited unnamed sources claiming the UAE had launched a strike in response to a series of Iranian missile and drone attacks targeting the region.

However, senior UAE officials quickly rejected the claims.

Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, member of the UAE Federal National Council and chairman of the Defence Affairs, Interior and Foreign Affairs Committee, said the report was false and clarified that the UAE had not carried out any such attack.

“This is fake news. When we do something, we have the courage to announce it,” Al Nuaimi said in a post on social media.

He also emphasised that the UAE distinguishes between the Iranian government and the Iranian people.

“The Iranian people are the real victims of that regime and the ones who suffer the most from its policies. As neighbours, we recognise this reality and care about their well-being,” he added.

Meanwhile, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the country remains in a defensive posture following repeated attacks linked to the ongoing regional conflict.

According to the ministry, more than 1,400 ballistic missiles and drones have been launched by Iran during the conflict, targeting infrastructure and civilian locations in the region, resulting in casualties and damage.

“These attacks constitute a flagrant violation of international law and the UN Charter, an infringement of the UAE’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and a direct threat to its security and stability,” the ministry said in a statement.

The UAE also stressed that it does not seek escalation but retains the right to take necessary measures to protect its national security and ensure the safety of residents.

The clarification came as tensions across West Asia continued to rise following the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was reportedly killed in joint US-Israel military strikes on February 28.

In response, Iran has launched retaliatory missile and drone attacks targeting US military bases and Israeli-linked assets across the region.

Separately, Iran’s foreign minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi accused the United States of attacking a freshwater desalination plant on Qeshm Island, calling the strike a ‘blatant and desperate crime’ that disrupted water supply to several villages.

The ongoing conflict has widened regional tensions, disrupted air travel and raised concerns over energy supplies as global powers closely monitor developments in the volatile Middle East.