00:00The UAE is now entering the second week of a conflict it did not initiate,
00:05facing daily attacks while trying to stop the crisis from spiralling into a wider regional war.
00:12I spoke with Lana Nasebi, the UAE Minister of State at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
00:17and its former ambassador to the United Nations,
00:20about the country's response to those attacks, where its red lines are,
00:24and how the country is working to protect itself under daily missile attack.
00:31We've had an incredibly challenging 14 days.
00:34We're two weeks into this conflict that, as you said, we did not want to be drawn into.
00:39In fact, we were very engaged in diplomatic efforts prior to this escalation
00:43to try and avoid the conflict in the region.
00:45But now that it has happened, I think the UAE has demonstrated two or three things.
00:50First of all, that it prioritises the protection, the security, and the well-being of its resident and Emirati population.
00:58Second, you've seen that our economy is very resilient.
01:01So people are back at work.
01:04We will have a bounce back in our economy this year.
01:07I have no doubt about that.
01:08It is a safe place to work and do business.
01:11And thirdly, you see that everyone has rallied around the model that is being attacked in the UAE and the
01:17Gulf
01:17as islands of stability and prosperity.
01:20No one is signed up to the model that Iran is propagating
01:24with its illegal and unlawful attacks on all the Gulf region, which have been egregious.
01:30I think the priority right now is defending the country against these attacks
01:35and ensuring it doesn't disrupt normal life.
01:37But of course, we have been preparing for various scenarios in a very turbulent region for decades.
01:43So these are not new plans.
01:44We have had contingency plans in place since prior to this point.
01:51In terms of Europe and the partners that are helping, without compromising national security or elements like that,
01:57how are you protecting the nation and how are the international partners involved?
02:01I think they're coming in because they recognise that UAE interests are, in fact, global interests.
02:07They're, of course, the wider regional stability of Europe and the eastern Mediterranean is incredibly important.
02:13But globally, the Straits of Hormuzha, a fifth of the world's energy supplies, passes through that narrow waterway.
02:20And this has an impact on not only global energy prices, but global food security and food supplies.
02:27The UN has estimated that there's been an 18 percent increase in their ability to give aid to those most
02:33in need in terms of food insecurity,
02:35for example, as a result of this.
02:37So Iran must not be allowed to hold the global economy hostage by its rogue state behaviour.
02:45Is there a red line in all of this?
02:48I think fundamentally the red lines are the security, the prosperity, the well-being of our Emirati community and our
02:56expatriate community here.
02:58We consider all of them part of this country and they deserve our protection.
03:02So that is our red line.
03:04Don't touch this model.
03:07Use your personal view to the Athena Council.
03:08And you'll see on this one.
