Rafael López-Diéguez Piñar, Director General of RLD, published in El Confidencial an analysis on UAE legal certainty amid Iran tension. The piece examines how the Emirati regulatory framework operates as a stabilising factor in an increasingly complex geopolitical environment. Additionally, it explores the specific legal instruments protecting foreign investors during periods of volatility.
“In modern engineering, a glass dome allows us to observe the outside without being exposed to it. That same logic now defines the position of the United Arab Emirates in an environment marked by growing tension with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”
A dynamic economic relationship under geopolitical pressure
For years, the relationship between the two countries has been one of the most dynamic in the region. According to data from the Iranian Customs Administration (IRICA) and the World Bank (WITS), the Emirates consolidated their position as the main source of Iran’s non-oil imports, exceeding USD 21.9 billion. Furthermore, Iran exported goods worth USD 7.2 billion to the Arab country. This placed it among its main trading partners.
This link is also supported by an infrastructure of more than 300 weekly flights. Additionally, a community of approximately 500,000 Iranians has business activity in the Emirates.
However, this economic interdependence coexists with an increasingly demanding political scenario. In this context, the key is not to avoid risk, but to manage it. In effect, this is precisely where the Emirates have developed a clear competitive advantage. It is the predictability of their legal system.
The legal instruments behind UAE legal certainty amid Iran tension
Major international companies continue to operate in the country with notable stability. This is not a matter of blind confidence, but of regulatory framework. As President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has pointed out, the priority is to guarantee the security of those who have placed their trust in the Emirati model. Moreover, progress must not stop, even in adverse scenarios.
That security rests on specific legal instruments. Article 249 of Federal Law No. 5 of 1985 introduces the doctrine of hardship. It allows judges to adjust contracts when extraordinary circumstances make them excessively burdensome. Consequently, this introduces flexibility without undermining legal certainty.
Additionally, this is complemented by NCEMA Standard 7000:2021. Under Federal Decree-Law No. 2 of 2011, it guarantees the continuity of essential services such as energy, banking and water supply. In parallel, Federal Decree-Laws No. 32 and 33 of 2025 have strengthened the powers of the Capital Markets Authority. They protect foreign investors’ assets in episodes of volatility.
Legal resilience as structural element
The result is an environment in which risk does not disappear, but is managed effectively. Furthermore, this capacity anticipates a broader evolution of law. In it, legal resilience will cease to be an exception and become a structural element. In effect, history teaches us that crises are the architects of tomorrow’s laws.
Moreover, the current context points towards more dynamic models. Adaptive contracts and state protection mechanisms will play a central role in economic stability.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the experience of the United Arab Emirates shows that the true strength of a state lies in the credibility of its legal system. Because when the context becomes unpredictable, legal certainty is the strongest glass against chaos.
Rafael López-Diéguez Piñar is Director General of RLD. He leads the firm from Madrid with a permanent presence in Dubai since 2012. His practice focuses on corporate transactions, international expansion and wealth strategy for Spanish family businesses.
Read the full article in El Confidencial.
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