White House envoy Steve Witkoff held discussions with the United Arab Emirates’ national security adviser to coordinate a new economic offensive against Tehran, the Axios news website reported.
Witkoff met Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed al Nahyan, a deputy ruler of Abu Dhabi, on the island of Sardinia.
The meeting took place days after U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced Operation Economic Outcast, a strategy intended to sever all financial lifelines to Tehran.
The U.S. Treasury Department moved to disconnect UAE-based branches of Egypt’s Banque Misr from the U.S. financial system because of its ties to Iran, on the day of the meeting.
The UAE recently decided to terminate all commercial and financial transactions with Tehran, a decision driven by looming U.S. secondary sanctions and persistent attacks from Iran.
