Iran-US tensions won’t impact UAE, says DP World CEO

Tensions between the US and Iran will not have any impact on the UAE, a senior official said on Tuesday, stating the country is a very safe place to do business.

“Dubai is part of the UAE, where we all are striving to make everyone’s life better. Despite what you hear in the news every now and then that there is a crisis, I tell you that the worst crisis for us was eight years of war between Iran and Iraq. For us, that was the biggest crisis. Nothing like that is happening now. We had a crisis between Israel, the US, and Iran, and that did not affect us,” said Sultan bin Sulayem, group chairman and CEO of DP World, and chairman of the Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation.

“My only concern is anything affecting the maritime industry, because we need to make sure that ships are coming. I don't foresee anything happening in Iran that would affect our business,” he said, while delivering a speech at the inauguration of Petrochem Terminal and Corporate Headquarters in Jebel Ali Free Zone on Tuesday.

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The UAE is already rated among the world’s safest countries. Its cities, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Sharjah, are ranked among the top five safest cities globally by Numbeo.

The Iran-Iraq War lasted for eight years from 1980 to 1988, with nearly half a million people killed in the two Arab countries. The UAE and other Gulf countries remained safe during the regional crisis.

In June 2025, Israel launched an attack on Iran, killing a number of senior military officials and targeting its air force and nuclear infrastructure. Later, the US also joined Tel Aviv and attacked different Iranian cities.

Of late, tensions are rising again between Iran and the US due to protests taking place in the Persian country. US President Donald Trump has threatened to attack Iran due to casualties in protests. It is estimated that more than 500 people have died in the Iranian protests.

On the other hand, Iran has warned that it could target Israel if attacked by the US.

“We are growing. We have improved life for everyone, and we are participating in the world wherever we can add value. So, I assure everyone that this country is safe and is well placed internationally. We are in charge of our security,” said the DP World and Jafza chief.

Sultan bin Sulayem thanked Petrochem Middle East for trusting DP World and Jafza for setting up a Dh300 million expansion in the free zone. He invited other companies, such as Petrochem Middle East to establish their presence in Dubai.

“We are big in Africa, India, Australia, and Vietnam. We are in over 146 locations and have over 94 terminals around the world. I'm very pleased to see the progress here,” he said, adding that Dubai and Jafza have grown tremendously over the decades.