Fuad Hussein: Erbil has faced more than 70 missiles and drones

In a phone call on Monday, 2 March 2026, Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein and UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed escalating tensions in the region and their impact on the security and stability of their countries.

The Emirati minister said his country had faced around 800 missile and drone attacks, noting that the targets included many civilian sites. He said trade relations among the region's countries had grown stronger, that there was no justification for the attacks and that they must stop immediately.

Fuad Hussein said Iraq had become a victim of the war and was being attacked by different parties to the conflict, which further complicates the security picture. He revealed that Erbil had faced more than 70 missiles and drones, while other parties had targeted sites in southern and western Iraq.

The minister reaffirmed Iraq's consistent position calling for a ceasefire and de-escalation, in a way that helps protect civilians and preserve security and stability in the region.

The two sides agreed to maintain contact and coordination and to work to keep the region from sliding into further turmoil and a devastating war, in the interests of the region's peoples and regional security.