Dubai, Sept. 7 (SANA) The United Arab Emirates is developing alternative routes for energy exports and trade to reduce its reliance on vulnerable shipping corridors amid the ongoing conflict with Iran, presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said on Monday.
The conflict has disrupted Gulf states, including the UAE, which has been targeted by Iranian missiles, while Emirati oil tankers have also come under attack in the Strait of Hormuz.
“Our energy exports will not be held hostage, nor will our trade and economic activity,” Gargash told the Hili Forum in Abu Dhabi, according to Reuters.
He said the UAE was expanding port capacity on its eastern coast and developing pipelines, railways and trade routes to create alternative corridors for energy and commerce.
Gargash said an effective relationship with Iran could eventually be restored, but warned that rebuilding trust with its neighbors after the attacks could take decades.
“An effective relationship with Iran can and must be restored, but rebuilding trust is another matter,” he said.
The UAE, which has served as an important economic lifeline for Iran, suspended all financial and economic transactions with the Islamic Republic in August, citing Iranian military escalation and missile threats.
N.J/ABD
