‘Next steps’ — Witkoff secretly met with UAE official on Iran

A secret meeting between Steve Witkoff and Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan in Sardinia focused on Washington’s Iran strategy.

By World Israel News Staff

Trump administration envoy and senior Middle East affairs negotiator Steve Witkoff secretly met with a senior Emirati official last week to discuss next steps regarding Iran, according to an Axios report.

Witkoff met with Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al Nahyan (TBZ), the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser and deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi, on the Italian island of Sardinia. TBZ is also responsible for the UAE’s investment and technology strategy.

The meeting was not publicly disclosed by the White House and had not previously been reported by the media.

Sources told Axios that Witkoff and TBZ discussed “next steps” regarding Iran as the Trump administration has shifted away from intense military conflict and toward a strategy centered on harsh sanctions aimed at crippling Iran’s already struggling economy.

The two officials also discussed efforts to restore maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global shipping route that has been severely disrupted amid the conflict with Iran.

While details of the talks have not been made public, Axios reported that the two men engaged in “brainstorming” over potential moves regarding Iran.

The meeting comes after a period of intense Iranian attacks against the UAE. During Operation Epic Fury, Iran fired thousands of drones and missiles at targets across the region, with the Emirates coming under attack even more frequently than Israel, Tehran’s much-publicized primary enemy.

Despite Iran’s intense aggression toward the UAE, Tehran has repeatedly sought assistance from Abu Dhabi behind closed doors, according to the Axios report.

Iran reportedly appealed to the UAE for help obtaining food and medicine for its population, while also urging the Emirates not to comply with U.S. sanctions designed to further isolate Tehran. According to the report, the UAE swiftly rejected the request.

The Emiratis were particularly angered by attacks carried out by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against Emirati oil tankers transiting the Strait of Hormuz, sources told Axios.