Some Westerners  -  influenced by their condescending propaganda machines, otherwise known as the mainstream media  -  advise the smaller Gulf Arab states to accept reality, learn to coexist with the larger Iran, and pay tolls at Hormuz.

Thank you for the advice. But I am sure you did not know that:

• Dubai operated Tehran’s new Imam Khomeini Airport for the first five years, despite U.S. sanctions on Iran. Isn’t that coexistence?
• The UAE owns the second-largest sovereign wealth fund in the world. The financial return from that fund exceeds our income from oil.
• As of March 2026, Moody’s Ratings reaffirmed the United Arab Emirates’ credit rating at Aa2 with a stable outlook. This rating reflects strong confidence in the UAE’s economic strength, very low federal debt, and substantial fiscal reserves — despite regional geopolitical tensions and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
• The UAE was ranked among the world’s top 10 goods-exporting countries in 2025.

I am sure you did not know these facts. If you knew, I am equally sure you would not have advised me to surrender to Iran’s fascist and somber theology. The Gulf is no longer just oil and gas fields, nor are its people Bedouins who squander their wealth. The facts above are the result of 50 years of the UAE’s humility and partnership theology.

Geographically, the UAE is not significantly affected by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, as we have alternative routes. However, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar are unfortunately more exposed. In any case, the Strait of Hormuz is closed because the U.S. wants it closed for political reasons, and it is naive to suggest that Iran could ever close it unilaterally.

Without a doubt, the Strait of Hormuz has been a convenient route. But challenges can reveal better opportunities that remain hidden in normal times. In fact, we are currently in the process of establishing our own Silk Road.

We have competitors. Some of them are jealous, hateful, desperate, and clueless. These include slow and bureaucratic countries that benefit from slowing our economic growth. Many  -  myself included  -  believe they are behind the disproportionate attacks on the UAE, whether through Iranian missile strikes or condescending international media attacks. This is about dirty competition, not strategic economic pressure exerted by Iran on the USA.

This is nothing new to us. We understand it. We get it. What they don’t understand is that the ever-learning management and leadership engine behind our unprecedented growth can do it again  - and do it better  -  before the world blinks, much like Japan after World War II.

If I were you, instead of advising the UAE to surrender to Iran’s somber theology, I would advise the UAE’s competitors to learn to partner with the UAE and adopt its theology of humility & partnership.