Overview
- UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed met Oman's Sultan Haitham in Abu Dhabi on Monday, August 17, to discuss expanding economic links and to review regional security cooperation.
- Sheikh Mohamed also received Bahrain's King Hamad to reaffirm close political and development ties and to coordinate responses to shared regional threats.
- The National reported that Sheikh Mohamed took a phone call from U.S. President Donald Trump to review bilateral cooperation and recent Middle East developments.
- The UAE Foreign Ministry publicly condemned Iranian explosives‑laden drone strikes on Erbil that targeted the office of Kurdistan’s prime minister and a senior security official, with no reported casualties.
- Iran and Oman say they have reached an "understanding" on a transit map for reopening shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, but Washington has increased pressure on Muscat and legal and security hurdles could complicate any final deal.