The Telegraph: America encouraged the UAE to take a more hostile role toward Iran and move toward an island in the Gulf

The British newspaper “The Telegraph” revealed on Saturday that the administration of US President Donald Trump has encouraged the Emirati regime to take a more hostile role toward Iran, including the possibility of moving against an Iranian island in the Gulf.

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The newspaper said in a report that “officials in the Trump administration proposed the idea of the UAE taking control of Iran’s “Lavan” Island, the same island that reports indicated was subjected to a covert attack with military strikes in early April, according to a former American security official.”

“The Telegraph” quoted the official as saying explicitly, “Go and take it,” indicating American urging and encouragement for the UAE to carry out the operation through Emirati forces rather than direct American intervention.

The newspaper linked these proposals to the UAE’s increased participation in the war against Iran for about 11 weeks, its bearing of the brunt of the Iranian responses, and what it described as the development of its security and political relations with “Israel.”

It considered that this has strengthened the rapprochement between Abu Dhabi, Washington, and Tel Aviv, while coordination with some Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia has declined, while also referring to the UAE’s decision to withdraw from OPEC as part of reprioritizing its priorities.

It indicated that the expansion of alignment may further complicate the regional scene and push the UAE to engage in conflicts beyond the Gulf’s borders.