U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke about Strait of Hormuz security with a UAE National Security Advisor, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Tommy Pigott said.
Rubio and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan spoke about several regional security issues, “including Lebanon, as well as continued U.S.–UAE coordination to hold Iran and its terrorist proxies accountable for ongoing attacks,” said Piggott.
“Secretary Rubio underscored the importance of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz,” he added.
The Tuesday talks came after the UAE suspended all trade exchanges and financial transactions with Iran earlier in the day, after saying Iran launched two ballistic missiles towards the Gulf state. The UAE Ministry of Defense issued an update on Wednesday, stating that the two missiles were not targeting the UAE.
“The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that assessments revealed the two ballistic missiles detected, originating from Iran, were targeting maritime navigation and fell into the sea,” a statement released by the Ministry said.
The call between Rubio and the UAE official underscores the UAE’s growing importance in Washington’s effort to contain Iranian pressure in the Gulf and keep the Strait of Hormuz open to global shipping. Coming alongside Abu Dhabi’s suspension of trade and financial ties with Tehran, the discussion could signal closer U.S.–UAE coordination on maritime security and economic pressure against Iran. The key indicator to watch is whether the UAE moves beyond economic measures to support an expanded U.S.-led security posture around Hormuz, and whether Tehran responds with further attacks or steps toward de-escalation.
