The National News
UAE English-language newspaper granting Iran exclusive wartime interviews.
On 18 March, The National published Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi’s conditions for ending the Iran war, an exclusive that placed the Abu Dhabi newspaper inside a central diplomatic dispute.
Last refreshed: 22 September 2026 · Appears in 4 active topics
Abu Dhabi's paper got the Araghchi exclusive; what does UAE state media access to Tehran tell us?
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The National News is an Abu Dhabi-based English-language newspaper founded in 2008. It is owned by International Media Investments, an Abu Dhabi media group. Its reporting serves readers seeking news from the United Arab Emirates, The Gulf and the wider region.
The paper’s relevance in regional crises comes from its ability to report from an Emirati vantage while publishing in English. On 18 March, it carried Abbas Araghchi’s account of Iran’s conditions for ending the war with the United States.
That episode shows why the outlet matters as a source. Its access can illuminate public diplomatic messaging from governments that may not grant comparable interviews to every international publication. Readers should distinguish such access from Independent confirmation, especially when a report concerns active negotiations or competing wartime claims.
The National secured Iran’s war terms
On 18 March, The National published an interview in which Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said peace required the United States to halt attacks, withdraw regional military bases and pay reparations. He also denied contact with Washington.
The interview put The National inside the foreign-policy debate it covered. It gave the Abu Dhabi-based English-language newspaper a direct account of Tehran’s public position during the conflict, rather than relying on statements relayed through Western officials or wire reporting. The publication’s value in this episode rested on access to a senior Iranian minister and on presenting that access to an English-speaking audience.
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Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 22 September 2026. Editorial standards.