DNA
Dubai, UAE – March 30, 2026 — The United Arab Emirates has reportedly revoked residency permits for Iranian citizens, including long-term “Golden Visas,” as relations between the two countries collapse following Iranian missile and drone strikes on Gulf targets. Iranian media outlets, including Tasnim news agency and Tehran Times, claim the move effectively allows the UAE to seize or freeze approximately $530 billion in Iranian-held assets — encompassing real estate, investments, bank accounts, and businesses in the emirates.
Iranian expats and business owners have reported sudden cancellations of visas, even for those holding investor-linked Golden Visas that promised extended stays (sometimes marketed with long-term assurances). Some individuals abroad discovered their permits invalid upon attempting re-entry, leaving them stranded or forced to return via indirect routes such as through Afghanistan. Accounts from Iran International describe affected Iranians, including those with 10-year visas, unable to return to the UAE.
The actions come amid a broader regional conflict involving Iran, the US, and Israel, during which the UAE has faced a disproportionate number of Iranian attacks on its territory and infrastructure. Abu Dhabi has condemned the strikes as violations of its sovereignty, closed its embassy in Tehran, and called for reparations from Iran for damages to Gulf states. Earlier reports indicated the UAE was exploring freezing Iranian-linked assets and shadow companies as leverage.
Iranian sources frame the visa revocations and asset measures as a betrayal of prior economic ties and residency promises, estimating the frozen value at $530 billion. However, the massive seizure figure has not been independently verified by UAE officials or neutral sources, and some observers question whether Iranian assets in the UAE reach that scale under years of sanctions. The UAE has not issued an official statement confirming a blanket asset confiscation.
This development marks a sharp reversal from recent years of cautious economic engagement between the UAE and Iran, highlighting how the ongoing war has shattered diplomatic and commercial bridges in the Gulf. Many Iranian residents and investors now face uncertainty, with reports of repatriations and disrupted lives in one of the region’s premier expat hubs.
