Daijiworld Media Network – Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, Aug 19: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday announced the suspension of all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice, citing escalating regional tensions and security concerns.

The announcement came after the UAE accused Iran of firing two ballistic missiles towards shipping routes in the Gulf. UAE authorities said their air defence systems detected the missiles, with one landing outside the country's territorial waters and the other falling within them.

According to a statement from UAE Foreign Ministry Communications Director Afra Al Hameli, all trade, commercial exchanges and financial dealings with Iran have been halted amid the regional escalation.

Iran has denied the allegations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei rejected the UAE's claims as baseless and warned that such accusations could undermine regional trust and ongoing security efforts.

The latest development comes amid heightened tensions around the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial global shipping route through which vessels departing from UAE ports must pass. Iran has previously warned that the strait would remain closed until it reaches a peace agreement with the United States.

Shortly before the UAE issued its statement, residents received an emergency alert warning of a potential missile threat and urging them to seek shelter in the nearest secure building. The alert was lifted soon afterwards.

The UAE has also reported repeated attacks on tankers operated by state-owned Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) in recent weeks. The latest incident has raised fresh concerns over the impact of the wider US-Iran conflict on Gulf security and maritime trade.