Speaking at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate on Monday, Gargash said neither a decisive outcome nor a stable regional order could be assumed after more than eight months of war between the US and Iran.

“We should ... prepare for a long period of uncertainty in which neither a decisive resolution nor a stable regional order can be taken for granted,” he told the geopolitical conference in Abu Dhabi.

UAE calls for diplomacy and stronger security

Gargash said the consequences of the conflict could endure for a long time. He said this required the UAE to invest in its defensive capabilities, maintain credible deterrence and strengthen its international security partnerships.

He also said the situation required sustained Emirati diplomatic engagement with Iran as well as regional and international partners. Some near-term engagement could be transactional out of necessity, he added, without giving details.

The UAE opposed the US war with Iran from the beginning, according to Gargash. In remarks in Manama on November 1, he said the country had been “braced for the worst” amid concerns that a US strike on Iran could prompt Tehran to retaliate against neighbouring states.

Diplomatic breakthrough not expected soon

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Sunday that he did not believe a breakthrough in diplomatic efforts to end the war was imminent.

Gargash said the conflict had highlighted the value of the UAE’s defence and security cooperation with Washington. He also thanked France, Israel, Greece, Egypt and India for what he described as their “support and solidarity.”