UAE official calls for joint Gulf action, says ‘we are all targeted’

• UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash urges Gulf states to strengthen joint security and defense cooperation, warning that attacks on one country threaten the entire region.
• His remarks come amid heightened regional tensions and attacks targeting Gulf states, with Gargash calling for a stronger collective security framework.

Anwar Gargash, an adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, has called for renewed joint Gulf security and defense efforts, warning that attacks targeting Gulf Arab states demonstrate the need for a stronger collective response.

In a post on X, Gargash said the attacks reflected what he described as an aggressor’s mistaken assessment that Gulf states were the weakest link in a war they had sought to avoid.

“We are all targeted,” he said, emphasizing that “our security is indivisible.”

Gargash specifically warned that attacks on Saudi Arabia undermine the security of the UAE and all other Gulf states, arguing that threats against one country have implications for the wider region.

His remarks underscored the interconnected nature of Gulf security and the need for regional governments to coordinate their responses to threats against their territories and critical infrastructure.

“There is a pressing need to revive joint Gulf action, particularly in its security and defence aspects, and to strengthen the collective security framework,” Gargash said.

He argued that security and defense cooperation had suffered significant neglect, which he said had emboldened others to escalate their actions against Gulf states.

“Gulf security is a shared responsibility that brooks no leniency or delay,” he added.

Gargash's comments call for greater coordination among Gulf states on defense and regional security at a time of heightened tensions. However, his statement did not outline specific measures or a timetable for implementing the proposed cooperation.