The Monitor: Iran War Deepens Rift Between Saudi Arabia And UAE

Wednesday, May 20, 2026  Read time1 min

Saed News: An American website, referring to the fact that the Iran war has increased the rift between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, wrote that the UAE moved toward greater convergence with Tel Aviv while Riyadh pursued a diplomatic approach toward Iran.

The Monitor: Iran War Deepens Rift Between Saudi Arabia And UAE

According to SAEDNEWS, the American website Al-Monitor, referring to the American-Israeli escalation against Iran, wrote that some Arab countries in the Gulf played a direct and gradual role in the regional confrontation with Iran during this war.

The publication, referring to the widening gap between Saudi Arabia and the UAE during the war, wrote that the United Arab Emirates moved toward deeper operational coordination with the Israeli regime and Washington, while Saudi Arabia expanded its diplomatic path with Tehran.

According to the website, Abu Dhabi’s involvement in the war included intelligence sharing, coordination in intercepting missiles, and cooperation with the Israeli regime in selecting Iranian targets.

Al-Monitor adds that Riyadh followed a different logic and initially launched covert attacks, but after Iranian air defense responses moved toward de-escalation and, unlike the UAE, did not cooperate in large-scale military operations with the Israeli regime.

The publication, noting that “the war exposed deep divisions among Gulf Cooperation Council countries regarding Iran, relations with Israel, and regional security integration,” stated that the actions of the UAE and Saudi Arabia show that there is no single military alliance in the Gulf against Iran.