Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, chairman of the UAE-based Al Habtoor Group, issued a sharp statement addressed to Donald Trump, criticizing the escalation of conflict with Iran and warning about its impact on the Gulf region.
The attacks launched by the United States and Israel against Iran, followed by Tehran’s retaliatory actions, are affecting Gulf countries the most. In the United Arab Emirates and other Gulf states, locations frequented by Americans — including airports and hotels — have increasingly become potential targets.
This situation has severely disrupted transportation across the region, paralyzed daily life and brought tourism activity in several destinations close to a standstill.
Al Habtoor, whose hospitality portfolio includes Al Habtoor Palace Dubai, Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City and V Hotel Dubai, published a lengthy message on X (formerly Twitter) directly addressing Trump.
“Who gave you the right?”
In his statement, Al Habtoor questioned the legitimacy of the decision to escalate the conflict.
“Who gave you the right to drag our region into a war with Iran? And on what basis did you make such a dangerous decision?” he asked.
He also questioned whether the consequences had been carefully considered.
“Before pulling the trigger, did you calculate the side effects? Did you think about the fact that the first to suffer from this escalation would be the countries of this region?” he said.
Questions over Israel’s role
Al Habtoor also raised the possibility that the decision may have been influenced by the Israeli government.
“The people of this region have the right to ask: Was this decision yours alone, or was it taken under pressure from Benjamin Netanyahu and his government?” he said.
According to Al Habtoor, the conflict has placed Gulf and Arab states in the middle of a dangerous situation that they did not choose.
“You have left the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Arab states at the center of a danger not of their making,” he said, adding that while Gulf nations have the capacity to defend themselves, the key question remains: “Who authorized you to turn our region into a battlefield?”
War undermines peace initiatives
Al Habtoor also criticized what he described as a contradiction between Washington’s rhetoric about peace and its current military actions.
He pointed to the #BoardOfPeace initiative, saying that before the ink on the initiative had even dried, the region found itself facing a dangerous military escalation.
“Where did those initiatives go? What happened to the promises made in the name of peace?” he asked.
He also noted that a large portion of the funding for such initiatives had come from Gulf Arab states, which contributed billions of dollars in support of stability and development.
“Today these countries have the right to ask: Where did that money go? Are we financing peace initiatives — or a war that endangers us?” he said.
Economic cost and domestic backlash
Al Habtoor warned that the consequences of the conflict would not be limited to the Middle East but would also affect Americans.
Citing estimates from the Institute for Policy Studies, he said the cost of the conflict could reach between $40 billion and $65 billion in direct military spending, potentially rising to as much as $210 billion if economic impacts and indirect losses are included.
He also accused Trump of contradicting earlier promises to avoid foreign wars and focus on domestic priorities.
According to Al Habtoor, during his second term Trump ordered military interventions in Somalia, Iraq, Yemen, Nigeria, Syria, Iran and Venezuela, while also conducting naval operations in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific.
“True leadership is measured by wisdom”
Al Habtoor concluded his message by urging greater transparency and accountability.
“True leadership is not measured by decisions of war, but by wisdom, respect for others and efforts to achieve peace,” he said.
“If these initiatives were launched in the name of peace, then today we have the right to demand full transparency and clear accountability.”