UAE Crown Prince and Iran President Meet in New Delhi Amid Gulf Crisis
On Saturday, 12 September 2026, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a high-level meeting on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi. This encounter marked the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders since February, following months of conflict involving Iranian missile and drone strikes on Emirati territory. Official reports from the Iranian embassy in India, WAM, and Abu Dhabi media noted that discussions focused on de-escalation, regional stability, and peace, despite the previous six months of hostilities.
BRICS Summit and Regional Reactions
While BRICS leaders adopted the New Delhi Declaration, which expressed concern over West Asia and called for restraint without naming specific nations, the diplomatic divide in the region deepened. Bahrain announced its withdrawal from Monday's scheduled ministerial meeting in Muscat regarding the Strait of Hormuz. The Bahraini foreign ministry stated that it will not engage in collective sessions with Iran until diplomatic relations, severed in 2016, are restored. Manama cited Iranian attacks on its civilian infrastructure and the 11 September drone strikes on Saudi Arabia's East-West oil pipeline as evidence against regional appeasement. Bahrain further demanded that Iran accept responsibility for strikes, pay compensation, respect sovereignty, and adhere to UNCLOS maritime laws.
Pipeline Attacks and Security Tensions
Tehran had previously sought to establish a joint shipping corridor with Oman, but a senior Iranian official informed Reuters that no such agreement is expected at the Muscat summit. Meanwhile, the Saudi East-West pipeline remains closed following drone strikes on 10-11 September that impacted pump stations in the Riyadh and Medina regions, resulting in reported injuries. U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking in Dublin, suggested Iranian involvement in the pipeline attack, while Iraq has initiated an investigation and dismissed a local commander. Regional tensions persist as Iran-aligned Houthis have seized Mocha and expanded their presence on Red Sea islands near Bab el-Mandeb. Additionally, 73 civilians were wounded in recent strikes on Saudi cities, and global oil prices have reached three-digit figures. Despite the summit-level meeting in New Delhi, the Gulf remains split, with critical maritime chokepoints continuing to face operational disruptions and security threats.