UAE billionaire tears into Trump for dragging Gulf into Iran war - Doha News | Qatar

UAE businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor slammed U.S. President Donald Trump over the Iran war, warning that Gulf states were paying the price for a conflict they did not choose.

Emirati businessman Khalaf Al Habtoor, founding chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, has publicly criticised U.S. President Donald Trump over the escalating conflict with Iran, warning that Gulf countries are paying the price for a war they did not choose.

In a lengthy message posted on X, Al Habtoor questioned who had authorised Washington to “drag our region into a war with Iran” and asked whether the U.S. administration had considered the consequences for Gulf states before launching military action.

He also asked whether the decision had been made independently or under pressure from Israel, writing: “The peoples of this region also have the right to ask: Was this decision yours alone, or was it the result of pressure from [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu and his government?”

As hostilities spread across the Gulf amid the war between Iran, the United States and Israel, Al Habtoor warned that regional states were being placed “at the heart of a danger they did not choose”.

“Thank God, we are strong… but the question remains: who allowed you to turn our region into a battlefield?” he added.

He also criticised the Trump-led Board of Peace initiative.

The international body was launched to promote post-war reconstruction and long-term conflict resolution, with Gulf states including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE participating as members and funders, pledging billions of dollars alongside the U.S. and other countries.

The board was initially intended to support peace and stability in Gaza before expanding to address broader global conflicts.

“Before the ink had even dried on the Board of Peace initiative that was announced in the name of peace and stability, we now find ourselves facing military escalation that threatens the entire region,” Al Habtoor wrote.

“Where did those initiatives go? And what has become of the commitments made in the name of peace?”

His comments come as Iran’s retaliation against U.S. and Israeli strikes on Tehran has spread across the Gulf, with missiles and drones targeting several countries hosting American military assets.

In recent days, Iranian projectiles have been reported across Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE, damaging infrastructure and causing civilian casualties in some cases.

In Qatar, dozens of missiles and drones have been launched towards the country, with air defences intercepting most of them.

Debris from the strikes has injured civilians and disrupted operations near key sites, including major energy facilities in Ras Laffan and Mesaieed.

The hostilities have also prompted Qatar’s state energy company, QatarEnergy, to declare force majeure to its affected buyers and halt the production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and associated products.

The move triggered a domino effect, with four companies listed on the Qatar Stock Exchange subsequently announcing suspensions of their production and services.

Officials also confirmed that there were attempts to target Hamad International Airport, though all were unsuccessful.

In the UAE, debris from intercepted missiles and drones damaged buildings in Dubai, including areas around Dubai International Airport and near the U.S. Consulate.

In Kuwait, an 11-year-old girl was killed by falling shrapnel in a residential area of the capital. Iranian drones also struck Kuwait International Airport, causing damage.

Iran, however, has repeatedly insisted that its strikes are aimed at U.S. interests in the region rather than Gulf states themselves.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Qatari officials that the attacks were directed at American military assets and were not intended to target Qatar. Doha firmly rejected that explanation.

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Iranian strikes had hit civilian and residential areas, including zones near Hamad International Airport.