By Muhammad Mamman
The United Arab Emirates is considering freezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets held within the country and may also move to seize Iranian vessels, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal, as tensions escalate across the Middle East. 
Officials familiar with the discussions said Emirati authorities are reviewing several measures aimed at restricting Tehran’s financial networks and limiting its access to foreign currency and global trade routes. The potential actions could include freezing accounts linked to Iranian entities and cracking down on companies suspected of helping Iran move money through informal channels. 
Sources told the newspaper that some of the financial targets under consideration include “shadow companies” and currency exchanges believed to facilitate transactions for Iranian institutions, including those associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). 
Policymakers in Abu Dhabi are also said to be evaluating more direct maritime measures, including the possible seizure of Iranian ships operating in regional waters. While discussions are ongoing, officials have not confirmed whether the measures will ultimately be implemented. 
The deliberations come amid escalating regional tensions following coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian targets, which prompted retaliatory missile attacks by Tehran toward Israel and several Gulf locations hosting American military facilities. 
Analysts say any move by the UAE to freeze Iranian assets could deal a significant economic blow to Tehran, which relies on financial and trade networks across the Gulf to access international markets and hard currency. 
Despite the report, the UAE’s foreign ministry has not issued an official statement, and it remains unclear whether the government will move forward with the proposed measures. 
If implemented, the decision could mark one of the most significant economic actions taken by a Gulf state against Iran in recent years, potentially reshaping financial relations in the region and further heightening geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. 
