Iran conflict 2026: Tehran accuses UAE of using UAVs to attack islands

A fully loaded Baykar Akinci UAV seen at IDEX 2023. There are four hardpoints on each wing along with a hardpoint on the fuselage centreline. (Janes/Akshara Parakala)

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) used Akinci unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to carry out three attacks on Iranian islands on 1 April 2026, according to a letter submitted to the United Nations Security Council by the Islamic Republic's ambassador to the UN.

Released on 16 April, the letter said an Emirati Akinci bombed targets on Qeshm island at 1012 hr (0642 hr GMT). This was followed by two Akincis bombing targets on Qeshm at 1056 hr on the same day. The third attack was carried out by two Akincis on Lavan island between 1205-1300 hr, according to the letter. It did not identify the targets.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran expresses its strong and unequivocal objection to and condemnation of the direct commission of aggression by the United Arab Emirates,” it said.

This is the first time Tehran has accused an Arab state of attacking Iran during the war the United States and Israel began against Iran on 28 February.

Like the other Arab Gulf states that have been targeted in the Iranian retaliation, the UAE has claimed that it has not allowed the US military, which has a significant presence in the emirates, to use its territory to launch attacks on Iran.

The Turkish company Baykar confirmed in January 2025 that it had delivered Bayraktar Akinci UAVs to the UAE the previous year, although these have not been displayed or seen in open-source satellite imagery at Emirati airbases.