Saudi and UAE showcase public display of unity after months of strained relations

Saudi and UAE showcase public display of unity after months of strained relations Submitted by MEE staff on Thu, 07/23/2026 - 18:36 Despite very public rifts, officials from both countries put out simultaneous statements on social media highlighting their close relationship This handout picture shows Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bidding farewell to UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, on 5 September 2025 (Abdullah al-Bedwawi/UAE Presidential Court/AFP) Off Senior Saudi Arabian and United Arab Emirates officials on Tuesday published simultaneous social media statements affirming their deep-rooted fraternal ties and “wise leadership”, a move that comes after months of tensions between the two Gulf monarchies. The X posts by Saudi Minister of Media Salman al-Dosary and chairman of the UAE National Media Authority Abdulla bin Mohamed Alhamed were both released at 7:00 pm Riyadh time. “The relationship between the Kingdom and the Emirates is a relationship between two peoples united by a shared history and heritage,” wrote Dosary.