Minister Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar reveals Emirati air defences intercepted nearly 3,000 Iranian missiles and drones targeting civilian infrastructure since February 2026.
NEW DELHI — The United Arab Emirates has issued a scathing rebuke of Iran at the BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, categorically rejecting Tehran’s attempts to justify a barrage of hostile actions in the region. Delivering a powerful statement on the global stage, UAE Minister of State Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar declared that the Emirates does not rely on external powers for its security and possesses the full capability to decisively deter any external aggression.
Minister Al Marar revealed the staggering scale of the conflict, disclosing that the UAE has been subjected to repeated, unjustified Iranian attacks since February 28, 2026. During this period, Emirati air defence systems successfully intercepted nearly 3,000 ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and suicide drones. According to the minister, these attacks deliberately targeted critical civilian infrastructure, including international airports, commercial ports, oil facilities, water desalination plants, power grids, and residential neighborhoods.
Global Consensus Condemns Hostilities
The UAE used the BRICS platform to highlight a sweeping wave of international condemnation against Tehran’s actions. Minister Al Marar referenced United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817 of 2026—co-sponsored by 136 nations—as well as a unanimous UN Human Rights Council resolution passed in Geneva on March 25, 2026. Both frameworks explicitly classified the strikes as flagrant violations of international law and direct threats to global peace.
Furthermore, a coalition of global regulatory bodies has systematically penalized these provocations:
- International Maritime Organization (IMO): Condemned the targeting of commercial vessels and oil tankers, calling for an immediate halt to infrastructure attacks.
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): Denounced Iranian violations of state sovereignty that directly jeopardized civil aviation safety.
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU): Passed a unanimous resolution in Geneva condemning cyber and physical strikes on civilian IT and communications networks.
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Issued a formal censure against hostile actions threatening regional food security pipelines.
Strait of Hormuz Blockade Termed ‘Piracy’
A central focus of the UAE’s address was the choking of vital global trade arteries. Minister Al Marar accused Iran of obstructing international shipping lanes, specifically pointing to the effective closure of the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
The UAE legal team characterized the weaponization of the strait as a clear breach of international law. The minister stated that using a global maritime choke point as a tool for economic coercion and political pressure essentially amounts to state-sponsored piracy, severely endangering global energy markets and regional stability.
Unyielding Sovereign Defense
Reaffirming the country’s military and diplomatic stance, Al Marar emphasized that malicious claims and geopolitical pressure would never alter Abu Dhabi’s independent policy or national defense strategy.
“The UAE retains its full sovereign, legal, diplomatic, and military rights in confronting any threat,” Al Marar stated. He invoked Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, underscoring the UAE’s inherent right to individual self-defense to protect its citizens, global expatriate residents, and visitors.
The UAE concluded its address by holding Iran fully accountable for the geopolitical fallout of these escalations, reiterating that lasting stability in the Middle East can only be achieved through strict adherence to international law, an absolute end to cross-border terrorism, and unconditional respect for state sovereignty.
