DUBAI,— Senior security officials from the United Arab Emirates and Iran held their first face-to-face meeting since the start of the Iran war, Bloomberg News reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

The UAE agreed to the talks after concluding that the Iranian regime, which it still views as an enemy, would not be removed from power, the sources said.

The possible closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the slow pace of talks between Iran and the United States since the ceasefire took effect also pushed the UAE toward reopening ties, Bloomberg said.

Iran’s ambassador to Moscow was quoted Monday as saying the strait would remain open but under new conditions set by Iran and Oman, including a transit fee for passage.

One source told Bloomberg that Iran had been pushing to revive high-level contacts with the UAE.

However, the UAE delayed engagement until it could confirm that any Iranian delegation had a direct channel to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

Khamenei’s condition has remained uncertain since the war began, with widespread speculation that he was wounded or incapacitated during the opening wave of strikes.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE coordinated with both the United States and Israel to carry out dozens of airstrikes against Iran during Operation Roaring Lion.

Iran fired more than 2,800 missiles and drones at the UAE, more than at any other country, including Israel.

In response, the UAE worked with the US and Israel to hit targets including the islands of Qeshm and Abu Musa in the Strait of Hormuz, the port city of Bandar Abbas, and an oil refinery on Lavan Island in the Persian Gulf, the Journal reported.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed frustration with Gulf neighbors including Saudi Arabia and Qatar after they declined to join a coordinated military response to Iranian attacks during the war, a separate Bloomberg report said.

Iran has struck several Gulf states in the past 48 hours, firing 20 missiles into Jordanian airspace and sending multiple drones into Kuwait and Bahrain.

The strikes came in retaliation for US military action, which itself followed the downing of a helicopter over the Strait of Hormuz.

(With files from Bloomberg, The Jerusalem Post, Reuters)

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