UAE debate grows over US military bases after alleged Iranian strikes, commentator Abdulkhaleq Abdulla urges closing bases and focusing on advanced weapons and self defense.
Is this a US-UAE fallout after the Iran war? Following recent tensions in West Asia involving the United States, Israel and Iran, a debate has emerged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) over the presence of American military bases in the Gulf nation. The discussion gathered momentum after Iranian attacks on sites linked to the US in the UAE. UAE commentator Abdulkhaleq Abdulla has argued that American military facilities are no longer “strategic assets” for the country.
UAE Commentator Abdulkhaleq Abdulla said, “Now the time has come to consider closing US military bases, these bases are no longer strategic assets, but have become a burden.”
In a post on X, he said the UAE has shown it can defend itself during recent Iranian aggression. He added that the country does not need the US for protection in the way it once did.
“This is what I told Reuters today: The UAE no longer needs America to defend it, as it has proven during the Iranian aggression that it is capable of defending itself with distinction,” he said. He also noted that while the UAE may still seek advanced weapons from the US, the presence of military bases is no longer necessary.
Abdulla stressed that the UAE’s priority should be acquiring modern and advanced military equipment rather than hosting foreign bases. He said the country should focus on strengthening its own defence systems using the best technology available. According to him, this approach would better serve national security needs.
هذا ما قلته لرويترز اليوم: لم تعد الامارات بحاجة لأمريكا كي تدافع عنها فقد اكدت خلال العدوان الإيراني انها قادرة الدفاع عن نفسها بجدارة، ما تحتاجه الإمارات هو اقتناء افضل وأحدث ما لدى امريكا من اسلحة فقط لذلك حان وقت التفكير في اغلاق القواعد الأمريكية فهي عبء وليس رصيد استراتيجي
— Abdulkhaleq Abdulla (@Abdulkhaleq_UAE) April 19, 2026
Iran attacks US-linked sites in UAE
The debate comes after Iran claimed it had carried out strikes on US-linked military sites in the UAE during the recent escalation in the region. According to these claims, a US command site near Al Minhad was targeted, and Iran also alleged heavy casualties among US personnel. However, these claims have not been independently confirmed by the United States.