The United States has removed the United Arab Emirates from restricted export-control lists and granted it licence-free access to advanced computing items, certain military equipment, commercial satellites and spacecraft. The regulatory change, published on Friday, moves the UAE into Country Group A:5 under the Export Administration Regulations, a designation previously reserved for NATO members and close allies. The immediate effect is that the UAE government and approved entities—including G42, Core42 and US firms such as Amazon, Apple and xAI—can now import AI chips and servers without individual export licences.

The reclassification rests on a formal finding that the UAE is a “Major Defense Partner” that has advanced US security interests, most recently during Operation Epic Fury, the US-Israeli strikes on Iran that began in February. The Commerce Department also cited the UAE’s decades-long cooperation against Iran and its proxies, its status as the largest US trading partner in the Middle East, and foreign direct investment in the United States valued at over $1 trillion. The move is consistent with the US-UAE Artificial Intelligence Cooperation framework finalised in May 2025, under which Abu Dhabi committed to matching investments in American AI digital infrastructure.

Viewed from Washington, the decision opens significant revenue opportunities for US technology firms while deepening a strategic partnership. Yet it has drawn immediate fire from Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren, who linked the timing to a UAE royal’s reported $500 million stake in a Trump family crypto venture and warned of a “corrupt deal” that could put national security at risk. Former officials and export-control experts have flagged the risk of sensitive technology being diverted to China, pointing to G42’s past ties to Huawei. In Tehran, Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi called the US document a “confession” and a “scandal” for Abu Dhabi, asserting that the UAE must now bear international legal responsibility for its role in military action against Iran.

In Abu Dhabi, the decision is framed as a validation of the country’s export-control compliance and its emergence as the first Arab nation in America’s most trusted technology tier. UAE Minister of State Saeed Al Hajeri described it as a milestone reflecting the leadership’s vision and investment in a world-class regulatory ecosystem. The new rules take effect upon formal publication in the Federal Register. The Commerce Department has also signalled it will “favourably review” future licence applications for chips and servers destined for UAE company MGX, setting the stage for further expansion of technology flows between the two allies.