UAE will not allow attacks on Iran from its soil: foreign ministry
The UAE hosts thousands of US personnel at Al Dhafra airbase near the capital Abu Dhabi, one of several American military sites in the Gulf.. PHOTO: PEXELS
The United Arab Emirates will not allow attacks on Iran to be launched from its territory, the former's foreign ministry said in a statement on Monday.
Last week, President Donald Trump said a United States "armada" was heading toward the Gulf and that Washington was watching Iran closely after a bloody crackdown on protesters.
The foreign ministry said in a statement it "has reaffirmed the United Arab Emirates' commitment to not allowing its airspace, territory or waters to be used in any hostile military actions against Iran".
الإمارات تؤكد التزامها بعدم السماح باستخدام أجوائها أو أراضيها أو مياهها في أي أعمال عسكرية ضد إيرانhttps://t.co/FFl4K2dsrk pic.twitter.com/TOrNPLgeNq
The UAE hosts thousands of US personnel at Al Dhafra airbase near the capital Abu Dhabi, one of several American military sites in the Gulf.
Read More: Oil prices rise as US sends armada to Iran, slaps new sanctions
The UAE also refuses to provide logistical support for attacks, the statement said, adding that "dialogue, de-escalation, adherence to international law, and respect for state sovereignty" were the best way to address "current crises".
US deploys aircraft carrier amid tension with Iran
A US naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier has deployed to Middle Eastern waters, the United States said today, as Tehran warned it was ready to hit back at any American attack launched in response to a crackdown on anti-government protests.
A US naval strike group led by an aircraft carrier has deployed to Middle Eastern waters, the United States said Monday PHOTO: MILITARY WIKI
A US-based rights group said today that it had confirmed the deaths of nearly 6,000 people in the wave of protests suppressed by Iran's security forces, but emphasised the actual toll could be several times higher.
The protests started in late December, driven by economic grievances, but turned into a mass movement against the Islamic republic, with huge street demonstrations for several days from January 8.
But rights groups have accused authorities of quelling the movement with unprecedented violence, shooting into crowds of protesters under the cover of an internet shutdown that has now lasted 18 days — the longest Iran has ever imposed.
The clerical leadership who took power after the 1979 Islamic revolution remains in place despite the protests, with many opponents of the system looking to outside intervention as the most likely driver of change.
Also Read: Iranian cleric says Iran may target US investments in region if attacked
The deployment of the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group dramatically boosts American firepower in the region.
The US backed and briefly joined Israel's 12-day war against Iran in June, and while Trump last week appeared to step back from his threats of new military intervention, he has never ruled the option out.
Read More: Iran releases official death toll of 3,117 after weeks of violent nationwide protests
The Lincoln's strike group has arrived in the region, US Central Command said in a post on X, adding the ships were "currently deployed to the Middle East to promote regional security and stability".
Sailors aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) perform routine maintenance as the aircraft carrier sails in the Indian Ocean, Jan. 26. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is currently deployed to the Middle East to promote regional security and stability. pic.twitter.com/dkuN946hce
'Regret-inducing response'
Iran's foreign ministry warned today of a "comprehensive and regret-inducing response to any aggression".
Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said Iran was "confident in its own capabilities".
In apparent reference to the Lincoln, he added: "The arrival of such a battleship is not going to affect Iran's determination and seriousness to defend the Iranian nation."