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UAE’s decision to quit OPEC seen as serious blow to Arab countries’ solidarity — expert

Khalil Jahshan, Executive Director of Arab Center Washington DC, said he would view this as "the first expression of the economic and political fallout from the Iran war on the Arab side of the Gulf"

WASHINGTON, April 28. /TASS/. The United Arab Emirates’ decision to withdraw from OPEC and OPEC+ is seen as a serious blow to "political harmony" among Arab countries, Khalil Jahshan, Executive Director of Arab Center Washington DC, told TASS.

"The United Arab Emirates' decision on April 28, 2026, to leave OPEC and OPEC+ is not surprising, given the growing differences over the past few years between Abu Dhabi and other GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council - TASS) capitals. It is a serious political blow to OPEC as an organization and to political harmony within the Gulf Cooperation Council. I would view this decision as the first expression of the economic and political fallout from the Iran war on the Arab side of the Gulf," he noted.

Earlier in the day, the Emirates state news agency WAM reported that the UAE had decided to exit OPEC and OPEC+ from May 1, 2026. According to the agency, the UAE's decision is consistent with the country's long-term economic strategy.

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United States United Arab Emirates OPEC

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