Hezbollah’s Wafiq Safa makes surprise visit to UAE

On Tuesday, Wafiq Safa, who heads the Liaison and Coordination Unit of Hezbollah, made an unexpected trip to the United Arab Emirates, marking a significant shift after a decade of strained relations and disconnection between the two entities.

As reported by Al-Akhbar newspaper, citing well-placed political figures, the primary purpose of Safa’s visit revolves around addressing the situation of (Shiite) prisoners held in the UAE. This trip is the culmination of extensive discussions that began approximately six months ago.

There are indications that Safa might return with the detainees who have been released, although he was initially scheduled to leave the UAE on the same day.

The breakthrough in dialogue between the UAE and Hezbollah was facilitated by a mediator from another regional country, with Lebanese security personnel also engaging their counterparts in Syria and Iraq to urge their intervention with the UAE regarding this matter, as per Al-Akhbar’s report.

Media sources have detailed that Safa was transported from Beirut to the UAE aboard a private Emirati aircraft, along with two other individuals.

Furthermore, a knowledgeable source informed Al-Joumhouria newspaper about the potential significance of Safa’s visit, suggesting it signifies a considerable thaw in political relations between the UAE and Hezbollah. This development could have profound implications for the future interactions between the UAE and Hezbollah, as well as potentially influencing Hezbollah’s relations with other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

The tension between the two sides escalated following the outbreak of the war in Yemen and was exacerbated by the UAE’s detention of approximately ten Lebanese Shiites employed in the affluent Gulf nation.