The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) issued a statement Saturday to firmly deny media reports that claimed the UAE has transferred funds to Iran, including allegations involving 3 billion U.S. dollars.
The statement said the allegations "are entirely false and unfounded," and reiterated the UAE has not unfrozen, transferred or assisted in transferring any Iranian funds.
On Friday, media outlets citing unnamed sources reported that the UAE had agreed to unfreeze at least 10 billion U.S. dollars in funds for Iran, with over 3 billion allegedly already in place.
UAE denies reports of transferring funds to Iran
The European Union's (EU) Migration and Asylum Pact took effect on Friday after a two-year transition period, marking one of the bloc's most significant efforts to address the growing tension between migration pressures and governance capacity.
The pact, adopted by the Council of the European Union in May 2024, seeks to address the long-term failures and divisions within the EU's migration governance system since the 2015 migration crisis and to manage divisions among member states through a solidarity mechanism.
The 2015 migration crisis, following the war in Syria and instability in Afghanistan and Iraq, saw over one million refugees and migrants enter Europe. This influx overwhelmed border and asylum systems, triggered emergencies, and deepened political divisions within the EU.
The new pact strengthens control over migration flows at the EU's external borders through expanded data collection. It also allows "return hubs" to be built in third countries.
During the height of Europe's migration crisis, the dominant policy emphasis was on humanitarian protection and reception. Today, the focus has increasingly shifted toward border management and return procedures.
EU migration pact takes effect
