One word to describe this picture: hedging. Despite all the bad blood between Abu Dhabi and Tehran, the emerging Gulf approach, and particularly the UAE’s, is increasingly clear: manage the Iranian risk rather than push Tehran into a corner. This does not mean trust. Rebuilding even a basic level of confidence between the two sides will take years. But from Abu Dhabi’s perspective, maintaining channels with Tehran is itself a form of strategic hedging. The UAE has little interest in becoming a