Daijiworld Media Network – Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi, Mar 10: As hostilities escalate in the Middle East, a former envoy of the United Arab Emirates has suggested that India could play a significant diplomatic role in easing tensions between Israel and Iran.

Hussain Hassan Mirza, the UAE’s first ambassador to India, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi possesses the diplomatic influence and personal rapport with leaders of both countries that could potentially help de-escalate the crisis.

Speaking to India Today TV, Mirza said India’s global stature gives it a unique advantage in mediating the conflict. He expressed confidence that Modi’s outreach to the leadership in both Israel and Iran could help halt the fighting.

“India is a great nation and the stature of India is such that if Modi were to call both Israel and Iran, the fighting would stop. One phone call is all it would take,” Mirza said, according to a report.

He emphasised that the Indian Prime Minister’s longstanding ties with leaders in both countries could make New Delhi a credible intermediary during the current crisis.

Mirza also underlined the goodwill India enjoys across the Gulf region, noting that Modi has earned considerable respect among political leaders, business communities, and the wider public in the region.

The former diplomat pointed out that the UAE faces a complex geopolitical situation as it maintains close ties with Israel while being geographically and economically connected to Iran.
Relations between the UAE and Israel strengthened after the signing of the Abraham Accords, which normalised diplomatic ties between the two nations.

At the same time, Mirza said Abu Dhabi continues to keep communication channels open with Tehran and is positioned to help facilitate dialogue between the two sides.

He also stressed that the UAE has not allowed its territory to be used for attacks against Iran. According to Mirza, other Gulf nations such as Kuwait and Qatar have taken a similar stance by refusing to permit anti-Iran military operations from their soil.

Mirza’s remarks come amid intensifying tensions involving the United States, Israel, and Iran.

Iran has launched hundreds of missiles and drones across parts of the Gulf region in response to military actions by Washington and Tel Aviv. The UAE has also faced incoming threats, though most were intercepted by its air defence systems.

Meanwhile, Israel has carried out fresh strikes in central Iran and against positions of Hezbollah in Beirut.

Iran is simultaneously undergoing a sensitive leadership transition under Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, who recently assumed the position of supreme leader following the death of his father, Ali Khamenei.

The humanitarian toll of the conflict is also rising. Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations reported that more than 1,300 civilians have been killed and thousands injured in the fighting. The United States has also confirmed that a seventh American soldier died while receiving medical treatment.