A diplomatic adviser to UAE President Anwar Gargash said on Sunday that the Emirates is hoping for a diplomatic breakthrough between Iran and the United States, while acknowledging that the country is braced for the worst. Speaking at a security conference in Bahrain, the adviser said a fresh round of war would not serve the region's interests, according to Nettavisen.
The remarks came as speculation grows that Washington and Israel may be preparing another round of military action against Iran following the US midterm elections and the Israeli election. Egypt and Saudi Arabia voiced similar concerns about a new escalation at the same Bahrain conference on Saturday.
Why it matters
The Gulf states sit close to any potential conflict and would bear direct consequences from an escalation between the US, Israel and Iran. Their public appeals for diplomacy signal that key regional players want the current standoff resolved at the negotiating table rather than on the battlefield — even as they prepare for the possibility that talks fail.
The timing is significant. With both the US midterms and the Israeli election now behind them, the political constraints that might have delayed a decision in Washington and Jerusalem have eased, which is why speculation about a new campaign has intensified.
Trump says one or two targets remain
US President Donald Trump said on Saturday evening that there are still a couple of targets in Iran that the US needs to deal with. He said American forces had already destroyed Iran's nuclear capability but that one or two objectives remained, referring to an underground nuclear facility. He claimed the remaining work could be done in ten minutes, according to Nettavisen.
Earlier on Saturday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump had not yet made a decision on new strikes against Iran and that the US remains open to diplomatic solutions. The two statements, delivered hours apart, capture the ambiguity hanging over the situation: military options are openly discussed while the door to negotiations is described as still open.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spoken of a "historic one-time opportunity" to topple Iran's government, a framing that has fuelled concern that Israel may push for a broader campaign. Yair Golan, who leads the left-wing Democrats party within Israel's opposition alliance, warned against a new war if Netanyahu remains the country's leader.
Qatar moves on talks as Tehran signals a hard response
Qatar has made fresh efforts in recent days to advance negotiations, including a visit to Tehran, while an Iranian delegation has arrived in Doha. The Gulf state's diplomatic activity suggests that at least some channels remain active even as rhetoric hardens.
Iran, for its part, has signalled that it would respond forcefully to any new attack, according to Klassekampen. That warning matters for how a limited strike might unfold: what Washington describes as a narrow operation could quickly draw in Iran's allies and expand the scope of the conflict.
Coverage across Norwegian outlets reflected the same anxiety. TV 2 reported that Egypt fears a new round of the Iran war, while adressa.no described widespread fear in the Middle East of another escalation. Sol carried a warning that a new conflict would become more dangerous and more destructive than previous ones.
A region hedging against both outcomes
The statements from the UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia point to a shared position: Gulf governments would prefer a negotiated settlement but are not assuming one will materialise. The UAE adviser's comment that the country is prepared for the worst is a signal that contingency planning is under way even as public messaging emphasises diplomacy.
For Washington, the gap between Trump's remarks and Rubio's is itself a form of pressure. By keeping military options visible, the administration preserves leverage in any talks; by insisting no decision has been made, it keeps the diplomatic track alive. Whether that dual approach produces a breakthrough or a new round of fighting is the question now facing the region.
What to watch next: whether the Qatari mediation produces direct US-Iran contact, and whether Trump acts on his stated remaining targets in Iran.
