UAE accuses Iran of firing two ballistic missiles, suspends all trade

Aug 18, 2026

The United Arab Emirates has suspended all trade and financial transactions with Iran after accusing Tehran of launching two ballistic missiles toward its territory on August 18, 2026. The missiles, which the UAE claims targeted maritime traffic, fell into the sea. Iran has denied the allegations, calling them baseless. The escalation follows the expiration of a 60-day US-Iran negotiating window and comes amid a tight US naval blockade, threatening a major economic blow to Iran's struggling economy.

UAE missile threat alert

▪Residents across the United Arab Emirates, including Dubai, received an emergency phone alert at approximately 6:52 p.m. local time on August 18, 2026, warning of a potential missile threat and advising them to seek shelter.
▪The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Interior lifted the missile threat alert approximately 15 minutes after it was issued, declaring the situation safe and advising residents to resume normal activities.

Iran missile launch accusation

▪The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence announced that its air defences detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country on August 18, 2026.
▪The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence stated that assessments indicated the two Iranian ballistic missiles were targeting maritime navigation and fell into the sea.
▪According to the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Defence, one of the detected Iranian ballistic missiles fell within the country's territorial waters, while the other fell outside them.

Iran denies firing missiles

▪Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei categorically rejected the United Arab Emirates' claim that Iran launched missiles, describing the allegations as baseless.
▪Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei suggested the alleged missile incident was a false flag operation and warned that the accusations contradict the principle of good neighbourliness.

UAE suspends Iran trade

▪Afra Al Hameli, Director of the Strategic Communications Department at the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated the trade suspension was prompted by regional escalations that undermine peace and security.
▪The United Arab Emirates Ministry of Foreign Affairs suspended all trade, commercial exchanges, and financial transactions with Iran until further notice on August 18, 2026.

Trump Hormuz territory claim

▪Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded to US President Donald Trump's social media post by calling him a deluded man and warning that his delusions regarding the Strait of Hormuz would be corrected.
▪US President Donald Trump shared an image on Truth Social on August 18, 2026, depicting the Strait of Hormuz as a new American territory.

US-Iran diplomatic stalemate

▪The 60-day negotiating window established under a June 2026 memorandum for the United States and Iran to negotiate a peace agreement expired on August 17, 2026, without a breakthrough.
▪US President Donald Trump stated on August 18, 2026, that no peace talks with Iran were currently taking place or scheduled, contradicting earlier optimistic statements by his envoy Jared Kushner.