UAE Transfers Five Seized Boeing Aircraft to Iran! Chinese Mediation Played a Decisive Role.

Multiple Iranian media outlets, citing foreign reports, stated that the UAE government has approved ECT Aviation Support—a company headquartered in the UAE—to transfer five Boeing 777-268ER wide-body passenger jets to Iran's Mahan Air. These aircraft previously belonged to Saudi Airlines.

The reports indicate that at least two of the planes have already been parked at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport. As of this writing, Iran’s official aviation authorities have not issued any response. Meanwhile, Saudi Airlines denied directly selling the aircraft to Iran, stating that the planes were sold to a foreign company in June 2023.

Looking back over the past few months, the UAE’s stance toward Iran has undergone a clear reversal.

In March 2026, the U.S. Wall Street Journal reported that the UAE was considering freezing billions of dollars in Iranian assets located within its territory.

By June, the situation began shifting. According to Reuters, citing sources, the UAE had agreed to unfreeze $10–20 billion in Iranian funds, with over $3 billion already released. On June 13, the UAE Foreign Ministry issued a statement declaring the reports “entirely baseless and entirely fabricated.”

Yet shortly afterward, Israeli media broke news of an Emirati military aircraft landing in Tehran, possibly carrying $3 billion in cash. The UAE once again denied the claim. Denials aside, some facts cannot be concealed.

Meanwhile, Qatar also reportedly signaled that around $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets held in Qatari banks might soon be unfrozen. This money originally came from Iran’s oil sales to South Korea and was transferred to Qatari accounts in 2023 through a prisoner-swap agreement.

From freezing assets and revoking residence rights, to secret negotiations, unfreezing funds, and now aircraft transfers—the UAE’s policy toward Iran has undergone a dramatic shift within just a few months.

The turning point in the UAE’s attitude stems from mounting security pressures.

In May 2026, facilities linked to the UAE’s Barakah Nuclear Power Plant were attacked by drones. The UAE condemned Iran for launching missile and drone attacks. Iran, however, refused to acknowledge responsibility. Regardless of who carried out the attack, the incident sent a clear message: the UAE’s own territory is not secure.

Several informed sources revealed that the UAE agreed to unfreeze Iranian funds in exchange for Tehran halting armed attacks on Gulf infrastructure. One person familiar with the negotiations said this arrangement amounted to “a strategic hedge—Iran receives compensation, while Abu Dhabi buys back its own security.”

Another factor cannot be overlooked: China’s position. After the UAE sent envoys to visit China, it likely gained clarity on Beijing’s stance. For Beijing, regional stability and prosperity across the entire Middle East are mutually beneficial. China has been actively mediating to promote peace and stability in the Gulf region. Consequently, the UAE’s shift in posture caught both the United States and Israel off guard.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1869836769798276/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.