UAE Bars Iranian Nationals from Entry and Transit, Emirates Confirms

Dubai-based carriers implement restrictions amid regional tensions; Golden Visa holders exempted from new travel measures.

DUBAI — The United Arab Emirates has imposed restrictions barring Iranian nationals from entering or transiting through the country, Dubai-based carrier Emirates announced on its website Wednesday.

The new measure, confirmed by another major Dubai airline, Flydubai, comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and Gulf states as regional hostilities continue to escalate.

According to the airlines’ travel advisories, Iranian passport holders are no longer permitted to enter the UAE or transit through its airports. However, an exemption has been granted for Iranian nationals holding UAE Golden Visas, who remain eligible to enter and transit the country.

The Golden Visa is a long-term residence permit that allows foreign nationals to live, work, and study in the UAE without the need for a national sponsor.

Neither airline provided further details on the scope or duration of the restrictions. The UAE government has not issued an official statement regarding the policy change at the time of reporting.

The development follows weeks of escalating military conflict in the region, with the UAE having previously intercepted drones and missiles amid the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war. Earlier this week, a Bangladeshi worker was killed in Fujairah after debris from a drone interception fell on a farm.

The travel restrictions are expected to significantly impact Iranian travelers, particularly those using Dubai’s international airports—a major global transit hub connecting East and West.