--- title: "UAE President and Trump discuss Iran tensions in 18 August call" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/uae-president-and-trump-discuss-iran-tensions-in-18-august-call" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/uae-president-and-trump-discuss-iran-tensions-in-18-august-call" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/uae-president-and-trump-discuss-iran-tensions-in-18-august-call.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/uae-president-and-trump-discuss-iran-tensions-in-18-august-call" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "Middle East" published: "2026-08-18T17:47:15.972Z" source_reported: "2026-08-18T17:20:00.000Z" updated: "2026-08-18T17:47:15.972Z" trust_score: 55 critic_score: 55 hype_score: 15 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-18T17:28:57.112Z" --- # UAE President and Trump discuss Iran tensions in 18 August call *Phone conversation took place as 60-day US-Iran agreement expired and attacks on Gulf shipping continued* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 55 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports corroborate key facts; digests add breadth but not depth. - Craft 55 of 100, higher is better. Quotes and specifics in full reports; digests lack detail. - Hype 15 of 100, lower is better. Headlines are measured; no sensationalism detected. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and US President Donald Trump discussed regional tensions in a phone call on 18 August 2026, as a 60-day US-Iran agreement expired. - The call followed a 10-day US CENTCOM visit to the Middle East, including the UAE, and Iran’s statement that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until US demands were met. - The UAE accused Iran of attacking an ADNOC-operated tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, the third such attack in a week, according to Arab News. - No left- or centre-rated outlet carried the story, leaving the coverage to six right-rated reports and three unrated digests. UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and US President Donald Trump spoke by phone on 18 August 2026. The call took place as a 60-day window for a US-Iran agreement expired, with talks deadlocked over maritime security and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Arab News reported the conversation coincided with the expiry. The two leaders discussed bilateral relations and regional developments, according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). Anadolu Ajansı reported the call followed a 10-day visit by US CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper to the Middle East, including the UAE. Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf stated on 18 August that the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Washington met Tehran’s demands, as reported by Arab News. The UAE accused Iran of attacking an ADNOC-operated tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, the third such attack in a week, according to Arab News. Iran has denied targeting commercial vessels. Shipping through the strait has fallen sharply, disrupting energy exports. ## What the reports disagree on Arab News reported the 60-day US-Iran agreement expired on the day of the call, with talks deadlocked. Anadolu Ajansı did not mention the expiry or the deadlock. Arab News stated Iran’s Parliament Speaker said the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until US demands were met; Anadolu Ajansı did not report the statement. ## What the coverage left out No left- or centre-rated outlet ran the story. None of the right-rated digests or reports mentioned the cost or volume of disrupted energy exports through the Strait of Hormuz. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 0% (0) - Right: 100% (6) 3 of 9 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-18T17:28:57.112Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 8 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-18T19:45:37.980Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre No separate framing summary. ### Right - All six right-rated digests and reports led on the phone call between the UAE and US presidents. Arab News and Anadolu Ajansı, the two full reports, carried the expiry of the 60-day US-Iran agreement, Iran’s statement on the Strait of Hormuz, and the UAE’s accusation of Iranian attacks on ADNOC-operated tankers. The digests did not mention the attacks or Iran’s statement. - Arab News quoted Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf: “the strategic waterway would remain closed until Washington met Tehran’s demands under an interim agreement reached in June, including lifting restrictions on Iranian ports and oil exports, releasing frozen assets and ending military operations and threats.” Anadolu Ajansı did not quote Ghalibaf or any Iranian official. - Arab News described the Strait of Hormuz as “a crucial shipping route for the UAE and other Gulf states.” Anadolu Ajansı called it “a critical export route for Gulf-produced oil and gas.” **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - low: 1 - mixed: 5 - unknown: 3 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Aydınlık](https://aydinlik.com.tr/haber/abd-ve-bae-liderlerinden-kritik-telefon-diplomasisi-587093) — US and UAE Leaders Engage in Critical Telephone Diplomacy. - [Arab News](https://arabnews.com/node/2655097/middle-east) — UAE president discusses regional developments with Trump - [Haberler](https://haberler.com/politika/trump-ile-bae-devlet-baskani-al-nahyan-telefonda-20155889-haberi) — Trump and UAE Leader Discussed the Middle East. - [Anadolu Ajansı](https://aa.com.tr/en/politics/us-emirati-presidents-discuss-bilateral-ties-regional-developments/4030756) — US, Emirati presidents discuss bilateral ties, regional developments - [Gulf Today](https://gulftoday.ae/news/2026/08/18/uae-president-trump-discuss-regional-issues-and-ways-to-enhance-bilateral-ties) — UAE President, Trump discuss regional issues and ways to enhance bilateral ties - [Khaleej Times](https://khaleejtimes.com/uae/uae-president-trump-call-regional-developments) — UAE President discusses latest regional developments in call with Trump - [Gulf News](https://gulfnews.com/uae/government/uae-president-receives-phone-call-from-us-president-3-1.500644825) — UAE President receives phone call from US President - [Mehr News Agency](https://mehrnews.com/news/6920506/%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C%D8%B2%D9%86%DB%8C-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%88-%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%85%D9%BE-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%AA%D8%AD%D9%88%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B7%D9%82%D9%87) — UAE President, Trump Discuss Regional Developments - [Emirates24|7](https://emirates247.com/uae/uae-president-us-president-discuss-bilateral-ties-and-middle-east-developments/4663) — UAE President, US President discuss bilateral ties and Middle East developments ## Questions **What did the UAE and US presidents discuss in their 18 August call?** UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and US President Donald Trump discussed regional tensions, bilateral relations, and ways to strengthen cooperation. The call took place as a 60-day US-Iran agreement expired and Iran stated the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until US demands were met. **Why is the Strait of Hormuz significant in this dispute?** The Strait of Hormuz is a crucial shipping route for Gulf oil and gas exports. Iran’s Parliament Speaker stated it would remain closed until US demands were met, disrupting energy supplies. The UAE accused Iran of attacking ADNOC-operated tankers in the strait, the third such attack in a week. **Which outlets reported on the UAE-US call?** Six right-rated outlets carried the story, including Arab News and Anadolu Ajansı, which published full reports. Three unrated digests also ran it. No left- or centre-rated outlet covered the call or the related tensions. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/uae-president-and-trump-discuss-iran-tensions-in-18-august-call. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "UAE President and Trump discuss Iran tensions in 18 August call", https://mediabias.news/conflict/uae-president-and-trump-discuss-iran-tensions-in-18-august-call