BREAKING: Kuwait reduces diplomatic ties with Iran

[Saif al-Arab]

The Iranian community in Dubai (which is relatively large) is quite concerning too. I hope the UAE leadership will consider a civilized way of gradually reducing the number of Iranian residents there. Examples include sharp rise in visa fees, prolonging visa issuance/renewal time, random rejection cases of visa approval for security suspicion...etc. It could also include so many bureaucratic measures on the receipt and dispatch of money from and to Iran in strict implementation of anti-money laundering, and anti-terror laws.

Expats (non-nationals) can always be dealt with relatively easily using legal measures. Some of which that you have mentioned. An easy solution would be economic measures that would make life intolerable for 99% of them. Thus forcing them to leave gradually. Anyway as things stand now UAE gains from their presence and the UAE-Iran trade is also hugely in favor of UAE. Goes for all GCC states. I think this is the main reason that they are tolerated. Aside from the historical relations (pre-Mullah regime) that people of Eastern Arabia and Southern Iran have.

In fact in case of a war those expat communities could become an asset.

Basically I would not worry as even nationals of GCC can be stripped of their nationality and this has been used in Bahrain for traitors and Qatar (Al Ghafran) has been using this some 10 years ago or so if I recall.

Anyway once the Mullah's are toppled (question of time) I think that things can return to a more sane relationship as pre-1979. So my measures are only due to the ground realities. I don't really have any problem with some Iranian (regardless of ethnicity) in Bandar Abbas, Bushehr, Ahwaz, Shiraz or elsewhere. Of course my opinion and that of 99,9% of all Arabs (I assume this to be the case quite confidently) is that as long as you are not anti-Arab we will not be hostile to you.

For instance I also believe it is a duty of GCC citizens to report any anti-local sentiments of expats (regardless of where they are from) so such hostile people can be deported.

Perhaps you are right. But the UAE is more than capable of finding a better trading partner than Iran. Keep in mind also that the sanctions played a role in increasing the trading between the UAE and Iran as Dubai was shomhow the breathing point for Iranians.

The UAE-Iran trade balance is hugely in favor of UAE.

https://financialtribune.com/articl...3/upward-trend-in-iran-uae-trade-transactions

Let us not forget that GCC is the center of capitalism in the region. Money will always win in the end and this is what makes the world go around. A lot will be tolerated for the sake of money. Even things that are not ideal. I have discussed this problematic a few times with Emiratis. However they have all the cards in their favor so I would not worry.

However obviously in the current regional climate everyone should be on their toes. However the GCC is still one of the most cosmopolitan and open areas of the world for outsiders and that has its benefits as well obviously.

A healthy balance needs to be found for the smaller GCC states and that is an ongoing process. Obviously the percentage of expats whether fellow Arabs or non-Arabs, will fall gradually.

I don't think so it is happening soon..keeping in view Iran is the 3rd or 4th largest trading partner of Iran...correct me if am wrong ....What you are suggesting can only be done once the relationship at trade level decreased too..
This could be very easy for Kuwait and Bahrain ...
Qatar is also close to Iran and taking a different line i believe due to there economic reason..Though i believe and agree UAE on geopolitics is aligned with KSA ..

Qatar is not allied to Iran at all. The only thing that plays any role here is the shared gas field. Qatar is nowhere near aligned to Iran politically. The current dispute won't change anything in this regard.

Besides we are talking about a country (Qatar) with a native population of barely 300.000 people. If anything it is a large US military base. If not for that base and US/regional fear of KSA hegemony (natural resources and in the GCC) KSA would have invaded that country (in theory) within 1 hour.

 

[H!TchHiker]

Perhaps you are right. But the UAE is more than capable of finding a better trading partner than Iran. Keep in mind also that the sanctions played a role in increasing the trading between the UAE and Iran as Dubai was shomhow the breathing point for Iranians.

UAE is capable to find another trading partner but its a decision to be made at state level no doubt in it..Sanctions played an important role but lifting of sanctions has positive affect , keeping in view the UAE benefits.
UAE has to take decision considering both , trade and expatriate Iranians..

Sanctions-free Iran a positive development for UAE economy
http://gulfnews.com/business/econom...ositive-development-for-uae-economy-1.1655062

 

[Saif al-Arab]

@Full Moon

Anyway this news is actually significant news. For far too long Kuwait was tolerating obvious hostile elements. Hopefully this decision and recent regional events will make this crystal clear for the leadership and people in power officially and non-officially (important families).

National security comes before everything else.

 

[Full Moon]

@Full Moon

Anyway this news is actually significant news. For far too long Kuwait was tolerating obvious hostile elements. Hopefully this decision and recent regional events will make this crystal clear for the leadership and people in power officially and non-officially (important families).

National security comes before everything else.

I agree. Kuwaitis went too far with their tolernace for Iranians only to arrive at the same logical conclusion they should have arrived at years ago.

 

[Thetigerforces]

Hopefully India also reduces ties with iran.

Why?

 

[Full Moon]

We hereby thank you for keeping our country clean from the filth you saved us from. Others have just learned now what you knew long time ago.

 

[Gothic]

a meaningful picture always speaks a thousand words , specially yours

 

[raptor22]

AS far as I know at least 25 Kuwaitis were arrested , no evidence regarding that either weapons are Iranians or belong to Iran or connection btw these people and Iran has been provided ....

 

[Saif al-Arab]

AS far as I know at least 25 Kuwaitis were arrested , no evidence regarding that either weapons are Iranians or belong to Iran or connection btw these people and Iran has been provided ....

So how do you explain the fact that we are too often (in the GCC) hearing about Iranian nationals (expats) and locals working in tandem to cause harm and instability in their host countries? Is anyone going to believe that a hostile regime (ever since 1979) who already causes instability and harm while we speak in several Arab countries, wants the best for the GCC?

There is a limit to ones hospitality and tolerance. Most Iranian expats in the GCC (second largest in the world after the US) can behave and there is indeed a very long millennia old connection between Eastern Arabia and Southern Iran and there have been a lot of population movements across the pond (both ways) but such news gives a bad reputation to the Iranian diaspora in the GCC.

Obviously the trade balance is and has been for decades in favor of UAE/GCC but that is another discussion.

How would Iran react if Afghan refugees were working for hostile regimes and trying to cause instability in Iran? If that happened far too often? You think that your regime would not react at all?

Also compare how Iranians in the GCC live from Kuwait to Oman and how Iranian Arabs live in Iran despite living in the richest and most historic part of Iran. Does that not say everything?

We live in unstable times. This is not pre-1979 anymore.

 

[raptor22]

So how do you explain the fact that we are too often (in the GCC) hearing about Iranian nationals (expats) and locals working in tandem to cause harm and instability in their host countries? Is anyone going to believe that a hostile regime (ever since 1979) who already causes instability and harm while we speak in several Arab countries, wants the best for the GCC?

There is a limit to ones hospitality and tolerance. Most Iranian expats in the GCC (second largest in the world after the US) can behave and there is indeed a very long millennia old connection between Eastern Arabia and Southern Iran and there have been a lot of population movements across the pond (both ways) but such news gives a bad reputation to the Iranian diaspora in the GCC.

Obviously the trade balance is and has been for decades in favor of UAE/GCC but that is another discussion.

How would Iran react if Afghan refugees were working for hostile regimes and trying to cause instability in Iran? If that happened far too often? You think that your regime would not react at all?

Also compare how Iranians in the GCC live from Kuwait to Oman and how Iranian Arabs live in Iran despite living in the richest and most historic part of Iran. Does that not say everything?

We live in unstable times. This is not pre-1979 anymore.

You could go on and on but without providing any evidence that could link these people to Iranian Gov your words have no basis .. it was several weeks ago that your coast guards shot/killed an Iranian fisher man and arrested 3 others and then claimed they were Iranian IRGC members ... where are they? why there is no photo of them?
Another example is Bahrain ... every one in GCC said Iran is involved in this country while Bahrain commission of inquiry established by Bahrani king rejected any Iranian involvement ..

Bahrain protesters join anti-government march in Manama

The government has claimed that Iran is behind the unrest in Bahrain, but has offered no proof of this. The claim was rejected by the Bassiouni report.


On Yemen : How false stories of Iran arming the Houthis were used to justify war in Yemen

​

 

[Saif al-Arab]

You could go on and on but without providing any evidence that could link these people to Iranian Gov your words have no basis .. it was several weeks ago that your coast guards shot/killed an Iranian fisher man and arrested 3 others and then claimed they were Iranian IRGC members ... where are they? why there is no photo of them?
Another example is Bahrain ... every one in GCC said Iran is involved in this country while Bahrain commission of inquiry established by Bahrani king rejected any Iranian involvement ..

Bahrain protesters join anti-government march in Manama

The government has claimed that Iran is behind the unrest in Bahrain, but has offered no proof of this. The claim was rejected by the Bassiouni report.


On Yemen : How false stories of Iran arming the Houthis were used to justify war in Yemen

​

There has been plenty of proof in the Kuwaiti arena. Ample proof in fact.

That's a lie that your media propagandized. Nobody claimed that.

I am using a Pakistani source here (neutral):

https://www.dawn.com/news/1342205

All of them were released last month.

As for killing an Iranian fishermen, where is the proof of that? I have only heard this news from Iranian media.

Your country too arrests fishermen from other countries when they cross into your waters:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1291125

In 2011 you killed 3 Pakistani fishermen and injured 2.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/303107/iranian-forces-gun-down-three-pakistani-fishermen/

Just like you regularly kill Pakistani border guards, soldiers and civilians on the Pakistani-Iranian border.

Iran is fueling the supposed unrest in Bahrain (no real unrest there) and it only takes a visit to Youtube and a search in Farsi and knowing a few government clerics names to figure out what they say.

As for Iranian involvement in Yemen, this is well proven and recorded by objective sources. Plenty of attempts of weapons smuggling to Houthis from Iran have been foiled, not only by KSA and the Arab coalition.

Houthis themselves even brag about this support.

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/responding-to-irans-arms-smuggling-in-yemen

Take a look at the photos in this article (Reuters):

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-idUSKCN0RU0R220150930

Yemeni news:

http://nationalyemen.com/2016/11/02...here-now-threatens-lives-of-7-million-people/

 

[raptor22]

There has been plenty of proof in the Kuwaiti arena. Ample proof in fact.

That's a lie that your media propagandized. Nobody claimed that.

I am using a Pakistani source here (neutral):

https://www.dawn.com/news/1342205

All of them were released last month.

As for killing an Iranian fishermen, where is the proof of that? I have only heard this news from Iranian media.

Your country too arrests fishermen from other countries when they cross into your waters:

https://www.dawn.com/news/1291125

In 2011 you killed 3 Pakistani fishermen and injured 2.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/303107/iranian-forces-gun-down-three-pakistani-fishermen/

Just like you regularly kill Pakistani border guards, soldiers and civilians on the Pakistani-Iranian border.

Iran is fueling the supposed unrest in Bahrain (no real unrest there) and it only takes a visit to Youtube and a search in Farsi and knowing a few government clerics names to figure out what they say.

As for Iranian involvement in Yemen, this is well proven and recorded by objective sources. Plenty of attempts of weapons smuggling to Houthis from Iran have been foiled, not only by KSA and the Arab coalition.

Houthis themselves even brag about this support.

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/responding-to-irans-arms-smuggling-in-yemen

Take a look at the photos in this article (Reuters):

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-yemen-security-idUSKCN0RU0R220150930

Yemeni news:

http://nationalyemen.com/2016/11/02...here-now-threatens-lives-of-7-million-people/

I am not talking about how many fisher man killed by countries I am saying you claimed you arrested 3 IRGC members ... where are they?

About fishermen :
Saudi says captures three Iranian Revolutionary Guards from boat

Saudi guards fire on Iranian boat, killing fisherman: report




And about Bahrain, when Bahrain commission of inquiry established by Bahrani king rejected any Iranian involvement then your words is meaningless ...


And on Yemen as I stated some countries use Iran to justify their actions as it was clear in the article ...

And still no evidence about Kuwait...

 

[Water Car Engineer]

People blame Israel or America as the biggest destabilizer in the ME region but iran is by far, second to none, the biggest destabilizer. The ayatollah is still upset over the Rashidun caliphate it seems!

Let them be then, none of India's concern. But let's be serious, this has been happening long before any sort of America, or current Israeli state has existed.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

I am not talking about how many fisher man killed by countries I am saying you claimed you arrested 3 IRGC members ... where are they?

About fishermen :
Saudi says captures three Iranian Revolutionary Guards from boat

Saudi guards fire on Iranian boat, killing fisherman: report

View attachment 412888


And about Bahrain, when Bahrain commission of inquiry established by Bahrani king rejected any Iranian involvement then your words is meaningless ...


And on Yemen as I stated some countries use Iran to justify their actions as it was clear in the article ...

And still no evidence about Kuwait...

Both your links quote Iran's Tasnim news. That's why I asked if you could provide me a non-Iranian source of this news as I have not seen anything about any Iranian fisherman being killed by Saudi Arabian coastguard.

I am saying that this IRGC story is not something that derives from KSA news.

All those fishermen, those caught last year, and those caught recently, were released last month.

That commission is several years old and your official clerics statements are well-known and available on Youtube. Everyone can watch them and their comments about Bahrain.

I said that you are fueling the unrest. Of course you do not have the capabilities to meddle in internal GCC matters.

Ok, the entire world is in agreement with me, but let us just say that you are right.

Kuwait too (a country with cordial and normal ties with the Iranian regime despite what is going on) is also making all of those many stories up just because they have nothing better to do. OK. In fact we can conclude that the Mullah's are never wrong or at fault of anything.

 

[Kuwaiti Girl]

The Iranian community in Dubai (which is relatively large) is quite concerning too. I hope the UAE leadership will consider a civilized way of gradually reducing the number of Iranian residents there. Examples include sharp rise in visa fees, prolonging visa issuance/renewal time, random rejection cases of visa approval for security suspicion...etc. It could also include so many bureaucratic measures on the receipt and dispatch of money from and to Iran in strict implementation of anti-money laundering, and anti-terror laws.

No, just no.

One of the best things about the United Arab Emirates is that it has one of the freest and most open economies in the world. I hope it stays that way. The UAE shouldn't put any restrictions on any nationality. It's the most meritocratic country in the Arab World, as well as the least discriminatory. These are the qualities that have made the UAE one of the most globalized, economically free, and well respected countries in the world.

I don't want the Emiratis to ruin their country's achievements just for the sake of lowering the number of Iranian expats in cities like Dubai.

And besides, the vast majority of Iranians in the UAE hate the Islamic Republic regime and are pro-Western. The UAE is benefiting greatly from these foreign nationalities, from both an economic and scientific point of view.

Also, the UAE has an excellent surveillance system in the region, second to none. The Emiratis also have some of the largest databases in the Middle East. The UAE is becoming a "smart nation". My point is, the Emiratis have nothing to worry about. They live in one of the safest countries in the world, so there's really no need for them to discriminate against certain foreign nationalities since that would simply backfire on their economy in the long term.