'Empowered': UAE's exit from Opec appeases Trump, delivers blow to Saudi Arabia

'Empowered': UAE's exit from Opec appeases Trump, delivers blow to Saudi Arabia Submitted by Sean Mathews on Tue, 04/28/2026 - 21:58 By leaving Opec amid the blockade of Hormuz, the UAE is positioning itself to be a long-term disruptor to Saudi-led energy bloc UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in Dubai on 17 November 2025 (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP) Off The UAE’ s exit from Opec next month is a shot across the bows to Saudi Arabia and a potential offering to US President Donald Trump, in the latest sign the war on Iran is exacerbating old tensions in the Gulf instead of uniting the region. On the surface, the UAE’s exit from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opec) is a culmination of its long-running spat with Saudi Arabia over how much oil member states should be allowed to pump. Until recently, Riyadh wanted to limit supply to support prices while the UAE favoured looser production.