Gulf Nations Increasingly Anxious Over Trump’s War Against Iran
Get caught up.
A yacht sails past a plume of smoke rising from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026.
Photographer: FADEL SENNA/AFPUnease is spreading within the United Arab Emirates, with some simmering frustration directed at US President Donald Trump. “Who gave you the authority to drag our region into a war with Iran?” asked billionaire hotel tycoon Khalaf Al Habtoor in a post on X. A week into the Israeli and US attack on the Islamic Republic, the UAE has absorbed the brunt of Iran’s retaliation across the region.
That’s trouble because the UAE and other Gulf states have become critical hubs for international investors, using their oil wealth to finance everything from the artificial intelligence buildout to Paramount’s deal with Warner Bros. But with the Trump White House now demanding Iran’s unconditional surrender, investors used to tapping the region’s endless pile of cash could now be in for a shock.