Iran warns Gulf states over helping US after UAE trade cut

Iran's armed forces warned Gulf countries on Wednesday not to assist the US military, hours after the United Arab Emirates said it was halting economic dealings with Tehran over what Abu Dhabi described as Iranian missile attacks on shipping.

Armed forces chief of staff Ali Abdollahi said “any assistance or facilitation provided to the aggressor US military amounts to participation in the US military operation,” according to Iran's Mehr news agency. He said Gulf countries that had said they would not let Washington use their territory against Iran should know Tehran was “fully aware of the situation.”

Abdollahi said it seemed unlikely that large numbers of military aircraft, especially refuelling aircraft, could be present at regional bases without host countries' knowledge. The Gulf hosts US military installations, including in the UAE.

The UAE said Tuesday it was suspending all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice because of regional escalations. Earlier, Abu Dhabi accused Iran of firing two ballistic missiles toward shipping off its coast. It later said both missiles fell into the sea, one within UAE territorial waters.

Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejected the UAE claim that Iran had launched a missile toward the country.

The warning came during the war between Iran and the United States, which began on February 28 with US-Israeli attacks on Iran. Iran retaliated with missile and drone strikes across the region. Many Middle Eastern countries have said since the start of the conflict that they would not allow the United States to use their territory as a launchpad for attacks.

The Strait of Hormuz, which Tehran has blockaded and through which vessels departing most UAE ports must pass, remains a flashpoint. A framework US-Iran deal aimed at reopening the corridor collapsed. Trump said Tuesday that no talks or conversations with Iran were under way or scheduled, while his envoy Jared Kushner had said Monday the two sides were having “very positive and active conversations.”

The UAE had been a major trading partner for US-sanctioned Iran before the war and is home to a sizable Iranian community. Its latest trade suspension follows earlier steps including recalling its ambassador and closing Iran-linked schools and a hospital. Tankers belonging to UAE state-owned oil company ADNOC have been repeatedly targeted in recent weeks.