Tehran Sends Strongly-Worded Warning to MBZ: Iran Will Hit UAE in Response to US Attack

By Staff, MEE

A top-level UAE source said that Tehran “directly” contacted Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed [MBZ] last weekend, threatening the United Arab Emirates in the event of any US attack on Iran, Middle East Eye reported.

Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh has been assassinated on Friday in east of Tehran. His assassination has been claimed off the record by “Israeli” intelligence sources to the New York Times.

"MBZ received a direct threat from Iran. It was not delivered through proxies," the source said.

According to the source, Iran told MBZ: "We will hold you responsible for the assassination of Fakhrizadeh."

The UAE, which lies just 70km away from Iran over the Gulf, is a hawkish ally of Trump and recently concluded a normalization deal with the “Israeli” entity that has already seen close ties built over several sectors, including security.

According to the UAE source, Iran’s personal contact with MBZ came just hours before an Emirati statement on Sunday evening condemning Fakhrizadeh’s assassination, which the foreign ministry warned could “further fuel conflict in the region”.

Meanwhile, “Israeli” media has reported that the entity’s security officials are worried “Israelis” could be at risk of reprisals in the UAE.

Since normalization of ties in September, “Israelis” have travelled to Abu Dhabi and Dubai for tourism and business purposes.

According to the entity’s Channel 12, “Israeli” and Emirati security officials have begun working together to beef up protections for “Israelis” currently in the UAE.

According to the MEE report which cited Iranian officials, the Islamic Republic has vowed to retaliate for Fakhrizadeh’s killing, though any response will likely be measured and delayed.

Relatedly, on Friday, before Fakhrizadeh was killed, MEE reported that the “Israeli” entity’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman [MBS] to back an attack on Iranian nuclear targets.

The news of Netanyahu’s trip to Saudi Arabia was widely reported in “Israeli” press.

A senior Saudi source said MBS, who is traditionally hostile to Iran, was reluctant to agree to the request for two reasons:

Firstly, because two recent attacks on Saudi oil targets were perceived as Iranian threats via Iran’s allies. And secondly, because an incoming Biden administration would immediately seek to de-escalate.