ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates on Thursday denied reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited the country during the recent war with Iran, after Netanyahu’s office claimed he had met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
In a statement issued by the foreign ministry, the UAE rejected what it described as “reports circulating regarding an alleged visit by Netanyahu to the UAE, or receiving any Israeli military delegation in the country”.
“The UAE reaffirms that its relations with Israel are public and are not based on non-transparent or unofficial arrangements,” the statement said, adding that any claims regarding undisclosed visits or secret arrangements were “entirely unfounded unless officially announced by the relevant authorities in the UAE”.
The denial came a day after Netanyahu’s office stated that the Israeli premier had “paid a secret visit to the United Arab Emirates” during the conflict with Iran and met with the UAE president.
According to Netanyahu’s office, the visit represented a “historic breakthrough” in relations between Israel and the UAE.
The announcement also followed comments by US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who said Israel had deployed Iron Dome air-defence systems and personnel to the UAE during the war with Iran.
While Netanyahu’s office did not directly confirm the deployment, it linked the alleged visit to growing security cooperation between the two sides.
Reacting to the reports, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran’s security services had already informed Iranian leaders about such developments.
“Enmity with the Great People of Iran is a foolish gamble. Collusion with Israel in doing so: unforgivable,” Araghchi wrote on X, warning that those cooperating with Israel to create divisions would “be held to account”.
Iran reportedly targeted the UAE more than any other country during the recent conflict, which erupted following US-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February.
Although a ceasefire came into effect last month, the UAE has since reported multiple missile and drone attacks allegedly launched from Iran.
The UAE, a close US ally, established formal relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords signed in 2020 during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.
