The United Arab Emirates has joined Saudi Arabia and Qatar in urging US President Donald Trump to avoid resuming military action against Iran and instead give diplomacy a chance, according to people familiar with the matter.The outreach reflects growing concerns among Gulf states that renewed hostilities could spark new retaliation from Tehran and throw regional economies into turmoil. In separate conversations with Trump, the leaders of the three U.S. allies argued that military action would not achieve Washington’s long-term objectives with Iran, the people said.The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment.The UAE’s position marks a notable change for a country that had taken a more hard-line stance toward Tehran after suffering extensive damage during the recent conflict. The UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar differ on what type of diplomatic arrangement the US should pursue with Iran and how much pressure Washington should place on Tehran, the sources said. However, all three Gulf countries are wary of a repeat of the conflict that began in late February and lasted until a ceasefire in early April.During the war, Iran and Tehran-backed militias in Iraq fired thousands of drones and missiles across the Gulf, killing scores of people and causing billions of dollars in damage to ports and energy infrastructure.“Gulf Arab states have seen their worst fears come true,” said Bloomberg Economics analyst Dina Esfandiari. “They were caught in the middle of the US-Iran war and have suffered significant losses. If the ceasefire cannot be translated into a permanent agreement, they now face the prospect of renewed conflict, threatening their image as stable regional havens.”Bloomberg News previously reported that the UAE had been frustrated by the reluctance of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to respond with collective force against Iran. Abu Dhabi reportedly launched limited strikes on Iran in coordination with the US and Israel, while Saudi Arabia took separate action.Iran and the US agreed to a ceasefire on April 8 and are currently exchanging messages through Pakistan on a possible peace deal. However, both sides have warned that they are prepared to resume hostilities if talks fail.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Friday that “little progress” has been made in talks, while Iranian media also hinted at progress toward a possible deal. Pakistani army chief Asim Munir was expected to visit Iran the same day, which analysts saw as another sign that talks were moving forward.The UAE’s tensions with fellow Gulf countries escalated earlier this year when Abu Dhabi decided to leave the Saudi Arabia-led oil cartel OPEC. Relations within the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council have improved.“The UAE continues its close coordination and consultation with regional and international partners, as well as Gulf Cooperation Council member states,” the UAE Foreign Ministry said in a statement to Bloomberg.The same day, all GCC members except Oman reportedly sent a letter to a global shipping watchdog rejecting Iran’s efforts to permanently control maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran effectively closed the strategic waterway at the start of the conflict, disrupting exports of oil and natural gas from the Gulf countries.Despite military setbacks and the assassination of several senior commanders, Iran and its allies retain substantial offensive capabilities, analysts say. Concerns deepened after a drone attack on a UAE nuclear power plant on Sunday, which Abu Dhabi blamed on Iran-backed militias operating from Iraq.A day later, Trump said he had spoken to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and said he had persuaded them not to attack Iran again.Some Gulf leaders are unsure whether their appeals will ultimately sway Washington and fear Israel could still convince Trump to resume attacks on Iran, one source said.Israel, which has deepened defense cooperation with the UAE since the conflict began, continues to view Iran as an existential threat. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has repeatedly indicated that further military strikes may be necessary to weaken Tehran’s capabilities.“There is a 50-50 chance that we will reach an agreement with Iran,” Anwar Gargash, a senior adviser to the UAE president, said on Friday. “My concern is that the Iranians have always over-negotiated. I hope they won’t do that this time because the region needs a political solution.” “A second round of military confrontation will only complicate things.”Trump now faces increasing pressure as the conflict continues to weigh on the US economy and global energy prices rise following the disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. Although he initially vowed to destroy Iran’s ballistic missile program and hinted at regime change, the war has reportedly cost Washington billions of dollars and is becoming increasingly unpopular domestically.Saudi Arabia is supporting Pakistan-led mediation efforts and believes any solution to Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs should come through negotiations, according to people familiar with the discussions.Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are said to be in favor of maintaining pressure on Tehran through naval sanctions and ensuring that the Strait of Hormuz remains open to commercial traffic.Qatar continues to support Pakistan-led mediation efforts, with the Qatari diplomat saying Doha consistently advocates de-escalation “for the sake of the region and its people”.In its statement to Bloomberg, the UAE Foreign Ministry reiterated that any future agreement must address Iran’s “full range of threats”, including its nuclear program, ballistic missiles, drones and “associated proxies and terrorist groups”.A Saudi Foreign Ministry official referred Bloomberg to comments by Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud earlier this week, in which he said the kingdom “highly appreciates” Trump’s decision to “give diplomacy a chance to reach an acceptable agreement to end the war.”