The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar are jointly pressuring U.S. President Donald Trump to allow space for diplomatic negotiations and avoid resuming military action against Iran. This development marks a rare coordination among the three most significant U.S. allies in the Gulf region regarding their stance toward Iran, with the UAE showing the most notable shift—a country that previously advocated for a united response against Iran and paid a heavy price for it.

According to media reports citing multiple informed sources, the leaders of these three nations have recently held separate phone calls with Trump, explicitly stating that military action cannot achieve the United States' long-term objectives concerning Iran and urging Washington to give negotiations a chance. Additionally, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated today that there has been "some progress" in U.S.-Iran talks, but the U.S. "fundamental position remains unchanged," which is that "Iran must not possess nuclear weapons."

The immediate context for this diplomatic push is the concern among nations that renewed hostilities could lead to Iranian retaliation, plunging the Gulf economy into chaos.

The market implications of this diplomatic offensive are significant. The previous closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to conflict caused energy prices to surge, disrupted oil and gas exports from Gulf countries, and resulted in billions of dollars in damages to ports and energy infrastructure. If the situation escalates again, these impacts could recur. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated last Friday that negotiations have made "slight progress," and Iranian media have also signaled a similar tone.

UAE's Rapid Shift: From Pro-War to Pro-Peace

The UAE's current stance marks a sharp contrast to its hardline position just months ago.

As previously reported, after the U.S. and Israel launched military action against Iran on February 28, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed immediately engaged in intensive calls with Gulf leaders, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, advocating for a collective Gulf response against Iran. His core argument was that only collective action could form an effective deterrent, citing the historical context of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), established in 1981 with the original purpose of countering the Iranian threat.

However, Saudi Arabia's response was clear: this is not our war. Qatar, after its Ras Laffan liquefied natural gas facility was attacked, initially considered retaliation but ultimately chose to play a mediating role. Bahrain and Kuwait followed Saudi Arabia's lead in staying out of the conflict, while Oman, due to its closer ties with Iran, was never considered a potential participant.

Rebuffed, the UAE opted to act alone, launching limited strikes against Iran in early March without Gulf allies' support and again in April.

The UAE has paid a price for this stance.

The conflict has severely impacted the UAE's aviation, tourism, and real estate sectors, leading to widespread salary suspensions and layoffs, and damaging its image as an international financial and tourism hub. Just last Sunday, a drone attacked a nuclear power plant in the UAE, with Abu Dhabi attributing the assault to Iran-backed Iraqi militias.

Bloomberg Economics analyst Dina Esfandiary noted that Gulf Arab states are "caught in the middle of the U.S.-Iran war, bearing the brunt of the fallout. If a ceasefire does not translate into a permanent agreement, they face the prospect of another round of confrontation, threatening their image as a stable regional haven."

Divergences Among the Three, Common Goal to Avoid a "Second Round"

Despite their joint pressure on Trump, media reports citing informed sources indicate that the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar still have differences over what kind of diplomatic agreement the U.S. should pursue and how much pressure to maintain on Iran.

Saudi Arabia supports mediation through Pakistan, believing that issues like Iran's nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles can only be resolved through negotiations. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE agree that the U.S. should currently focus on pushing Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while maintaining a maritime blockade on Iranian ports to exert pressure. Qatar continues to support Pakistan-led mediation efforts and consistently advocates for de-escalation in the region.

In a statement, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that any agreement must address Iran's "comprehensive threat," including its nuclear capabilities, ballistic missiles, drones, and "affiliated proxies and terrorist organizations."

UAE President's senior advisor Anwar Gargash stated last Friday that the probability of reaching an agreement with Iran is "fifty-fifty." "What worries me is that Iran always overnegotiates. I hope they don't do that this time, because the region really needs a political solution. A second round of military confrontation will only complicate matters further."

Some Gulf leaders are uncertain whether their appeals will be heeded, fearing that Israel may persuade Trump to take military action against Iran again. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signaled that he believes further strikes on Iranian military capabilities are necessary.