Iran warns UAE over hosting ‘Butcher of Gaza’ Netanyahu

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei on Wednesday warned the United Arab Emirates about the consequences of hosting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who made an unannounced visit to the country last weekend.

“Just as hosting US military bases has not brought you security, hosting the ‘Butcher of Gaza’ will similarly yield no pleasant consequences,” Rezaei said in a post on X.

He also urged the UAE to refrain from “fuelling conflicts”, calling on it to learn from the recent war and avoid making what he described as “baseless claims” regarding Iranian islands.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry had on Tuesday strongly condemned Netanyahu’s visit, warning of “extremely dangerous consequences” from an Israeli presence in the region.

CNN reported that Netanyahu told UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed during the visit that Israeli assessments indicated Iran could launch an attack in the region within weeks.

Citing an Israeli source familiar with the meeting, CNN said Netanyahu also presented updated intelligence on the alleged resumption of Iran’s nuclear programme, including activity at the Kuh-e Kolang Gaz La site.

The two leaders met on Sunday and focused primarily on Iran, according to the report.