Amidst the ongoing war between the American Government, and the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran under the leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB claimed that the United Arab Emirates has entered the ongoing war against Iran, citing two pieces of documentary evidence.

According to a report made by Anadolu English on Saturday, 4 April, 2026, Iran’s state-run broadcaster IRIB in a post made Via their official X account, asserted that the destruction of a Chinese WingLoong-2 drone on April 1, a model which was only in the possession of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and the interception of an Emirati Mirage 2000 fighter jet over Iran’s Jask Island on March 22 constitute proof of the UAE’s direct military participation, with the UAE previously denying broader allegations of entering the war, though it hosts US military assets and has been targeted by Iranian retaliation.

The Gulf nation has also been part of international efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but it has not formally declared itself a combatant against Iran.

As it stands, tensions in the Middle East have escalated dramatically since the United States and Israel launched a joint offensive against Iran on February 28 that led to the death of more than one thousand three hundred and forty people in Iran to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, with the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran under the leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei retaliating with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, including the UAE, which has been hit multiple times.

It was believed that direct Emirati participation in the ongoing war between Tel Aviv, Washington, and Tehran would risk drawing the Gulf nation deeper into a war it has sought to navigate carefully, balancing its security alliance with Washington against its proximity to a heavily armed Tehran.

The Iranian claims came amid a series of escalatory moves from both sides, as the Iranian regime had continued to launch drone and missile strikes at US and allied targets across the region, while the US and Israel have vowed to intensify their campaign.

Related video