The Islamic Republic is preparing a “strong response” against the UAE due to the “active role” it has played in the ongoing US-Israeli war against it; a senior Iranian intelligence official told The Cradle on 26 March.

“The UAE played an active role in the beginning of the war against Iran and in its continuation,” the source said.

“A decision has been made at the leadership level to end the weeks-long tolerance toward this country. In addition to US military barracks and bases in the UAE, which were targeted in Iran’s defensive attacks, the Emiratis also provided some of their own air bases to the US to be used in attacking Iran,” the intelligence officials went on to say, citing security reports.

“The UAE is considered a foothold for Israel in the region,” the source continued, adding that Abu Dhabi has “carried out misleading operations against Oman and other countries” – likely a reference to false-flag operations pinned on Iran.

“Another aspect of cooperation between the UAE and Iran’s adversaries is the use of AI infrastructure provided in the UAE to enhance their targeting database. the UAE supplied the United States and Israel with data on Iranian figures and targets, placing it in the position of an aggressor.”

The source added that “the targeting of Iranian ships and private boats, as well as some coastal areas of Iran, launched from UAE territory, signals a strong impending Iranian response.”

Since the US-Israeli war started, Tehran has escalated its massive and unprecedented campaign of retaliatory strikes on Israel as well as US military assets across the Gulf.

Among the US military targets that have been battered by Iranian drone and missile attacks is the Fifth Fleet Base in Bahrain. Bases in the UAE and Saudi Arabia have also been hit.

Iranian forces struck several major energy facilities across the Gulf last week: the Ras Laffan site in Qatar, Habshan Gas Facility in the UAE, and SAMREF Refinery in Saudi Arabia – responding to a US-Israeli attack on its South Pars Gas Field.

US-Israeli strikes reportedly targeted a major power site in Isfahan on 23 March, after the expiry of US President Donald Trump’s 48-hour deadline. Damage was said to have taken place, although the aftermath of the attack is not entirely clear.

Iran has vowed that major attacks on its power and energy infrastructure will be met with the destruction of all US and Israeli-linked oil and gas in the region.

The senior Iranian official’s comments to The Cradle come days after sources told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and other Gulf governments are considering joining the US-Israeli war on Iran directly, hoping they can establish “deterrence” and “punish” Tehran.

“The leaders of Gulf states, particularly the UAE and Saudi Arabia, are pressing Trump in regular phone conversations to finish the job and destroy Iran’s military capabilities before moving on,” Arab officials said to WSJ.

“The moves also are convincing Arab states they might need to deliver some punishment to re-establish deterrence,” other sources said. “Mohammed bin Salman is now eager to re-establish deterrence and is close to a decision to join the attacks. It is only a matter of time before the kingdom enters the war,” the officials told WSJ.

Riyadh has also recently agreed to let US forces use its King Fahd Air Base.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned on Wednesday of the possibility of the Iranian island of Kharg being invaded with the support of an unnamed “regional state.”

“Based on intelligence reports, Iran’s enemies are preparing to occupy one of the Iranian islands with the support of a country in the region,” he said, stressing that Iranian forces “are monitoring all enemy movements,” and vowing that any such move would be met with “the targeting of all the vital infrastructure of that regional country with continuous and relentless attacks.”