UAE revokes Iranian visas, shuts doors amid escalating tensions with Tehran

UAE revokes Iranian visas, shuts doors amid escalating tensions with Tehran

• UAE cancels visas and restricts entry for Iranian nationals
• Iranian institutions in UAE shut, affecting daily life for expats
• Nearly half a million Iranians in UAE face uncertainty

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The United Arab Emirates has launched a sweeping clampdown on Iranian nationals, cancelling visas, shutting institutions and restricting entry, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, as tensions with Tehran intensify following drone and missile attacks.

A notice from Dubai-based Emirates confirmed that Iranian passport holders are no longer permitted to enter or transit through the country, The Wall Street Journal reported. The move follows earlier actions that included the closure of the Iranian Hospital, an Iranian social club and several Iranian schools, disrupting daily life for a large expatriate community, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The measures are affecting nearly half a million Iranians in the UAE, many of whom have lived in the country for decades, The Wall Street Journal said. Several families in Dubai told The Wall Street Journal that relatives who had travelled abroad found their visas revoked without warning, leaving them unable to return.

The crackdown comes after Iran launched thousands of drones and missiles targeting sites in the UAE, including Dubai’s Palm island, the Burj al-Arab hotel and the airport, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Despite the tightening restrictions, some long-time residents expressed attachment to the country. At Al Ustad Special Kebab in Dubai, owner Majeed Ansari acknowledged the government’s concerns. “They respect us and we respect them,” said Ansari, whose father opened the eatery in 1978, just seven years after the UAE was formed as a state, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal.

Others described growing unease. A shopkeeper at a nearby grocery selling Iranian products told The Wall Street Journal he was reluctant to leave Dubai to visit family in Iran, fearing he may not be able to return.

The UAE has long served as a key economic lifeline for Iran, acting as a financial hub for businesses navigating Western sanctions, analysts told The Wall Street Journal, which noted that the relationship had historically been mutually beneficial despite political tensions.

Authorities are now weighing further steps. “Every pressure point on Iran is on the table,” a source familiar with the UAE’s evolving policy toward Iranian residents told The Wall Street Journal this week, adding that the country may reassess its openness to such communities in light of attacks on its economy.

The deep-rooted ties between the Iranian and Emirati communities add complexity to the situation. “There are a lot of politics around Persian origin,” said Mira AlHussein of the University of Edinburgh’s Alwaleed bin Talal Centre, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal, adding, “Families who have been in the Emirates for a long time wear it proudly. Others, especially those who arrived later, changed their names, worried about being seen as having dual loyalties.”

Historically, migration from Iran to the UAE has occurred in several waves, from 19th-century traders to those fleeing political shifts in the 20th century, The Wall Street Journal reported. Some early migrants obtained Emirati citizenship after the UAE’s formation, while many others continued to live on renewable visas tied to jobs or property.

The fallout is now visible across daily life. A travel agency near Al Ustad Special Kebab reported a collapse in bookings to and from Iran, while schools and community institutions linked to Iran have been shuttered, according to The Wall Street Journal.

In Dubai, the Towheed Iranian Boys School appeared abandoned, with its signage removed and buses left idle, The Wall Street Journal said. The Iranian Hospital has also been sealed, with a security guard recounting how staff were turned away after its sudden closure.

For residents like Saif Sabet, who moved to Dubai more than two decades ago, the uncertainty is forcing difficult choices. “Everyone is hospitable to us here,” he told The Wall Street Journal, adding, “My family is here; my business is here; my life is here.”

Some Iranians reported brief detentions and growing fears of deportation or repercussions for speaking out, either from UAE authorities or from Tehran against their families, The Wall Street Journal reported.

“The war is going to have a long-term, permanent impact,” said Emirati writer Mishaal Al Gergawi, as quoted by The Wall Street Journal, adding, “There will be scepticism around any kind of coexistence with the Iranian regime. Iran lost a tolerant neighbour.”