Mike Waltz says Gulf allies back Trump’s Iran pressure campaign after regional trip: ‘Zero daylight’

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said Gulf allies are backing President Donald Trump’s blockade and economical unit run against Iran, telling Fox News Digital aft a travel to Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom that determination leaders judge Tehran is feeling the pain.

Waltz spoke to Fox News Digital connected Thursday evening soon aft landing backmost successful the United States, arsenic reports of a imaginable woody with Iran began to emerge. He said the concern was inactive shifting by the hour, noting that Iran had launched different onslaught connected Bahrain soon aft helium near the region.

Waltz, the highest-level U.S. authoritative to sojourn the portion since the warfare began, said Gulf partners powerfully enactment the administration’s efforts to support unit connected Iran done some the blockade and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent’s "Operation Economic Fury."

SCOTT BESSENT SAYS IRAN UNDERSTANDS 'BRUTE FORCE' AS TRUMP WEIGHS OPTIONS AMID NUCLEAR STANDOFF

US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz is joined by Ambassador Jamal Fares Alrowaiei of Bahrain (left), Permanent Representative of the United Arab Emirates Mohamed Issa Abushahab,(right) and different Gulf states ambassadors arsenic helium speaks to reporters aft the passing of a U.N. Security Council draught solution connected the concern with ships successful the Strait of Hormuz connected May 7, 2026 successful New York City.  (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

"They precise overmuch enactment the blockade," Waltz said, adding that allies shared with him "in a fig of ways" however Bessent’s economical run is affecting the regime. The unit campaign, Waltz said, is designed to compression Tehran portion Trump continues negotiations aimed astatine preventing Iran from obtaining a atomic weapon.

On Friday, an unnamed U.S. authoritative told reporters successful a briefing: "We bash expect to beryllium signing this statement with Iran implicit the adjacent fewer days. We measure it astatine 85%, but not 100%. We consciousness precise bully astir the deal. We are not rather astatine the decorativeness line, but we are precise close"

Waltz said, "The UAE, successful particular, believes that you person to support that unit and a precise credible pressure," helium told Fox News Digital. "That’s what the Iranians recognize and respond to."

Waltz said leaders successful the portion validated U.S. assessments that Iran’s system is deteriorating nether the combined value of sanctions, subject unit and isolation. He said Iran’s currency is "tanking," overseas currency reserves are moving out, ostentation is continuing to emergence and the authorities is struggling to wage the military, authorities employees and police.

TRUMP’S 'ECONOMIC FURY' SQUEEZES IRAN — BUT CAN TEHRAN OUTLAST THE PRESSURE?

An Emirates craft flies past plumes of fume from a occurrence adjacent Dubai International Airport successful Dubai connected March 16, 2026, pursuing rocket and drone attacks crossed the UAE. (AFP/Getty Images)

"I deliberation the authorities is going to beryllium progressively desperate," Waltz said, adding that Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Scott Bessent, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner would usage that unit "to their advantage."

In the UAE, Waltz met with President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and the overseas minister, describing the Emiratis arsenic among the astir progressive determination partners against Iran. "There is zero daylight," Waltz said.

Waltz added the UAE has "both the capableness and the will" to act, and said the Emiratis are prepared to instrumentality "short-term pain" to execute the longer-term extremity of blocking Iran from obtaining a atomic weapon.

The UAE has been deed hard during the war. Waltz said the state had taken "by acold the astir missiles, the astir drones, the astir hits," but had moved rapidly to repair harm and reconstruct operations. 

Aftermath of an Iranian rocket onslaught connected a Navy 5th Fleet installation successful Bahrain is shown above. (Stringer/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Waltz besides pointed to the Abraham Accords arsenic a large origin successful the UAE’s posture, saying the country’s increasing concern with Israel has go an "important shift" successful the determination alignment against Iran.

Bahrain was different cardinal halt connected Waltz’s trip. The state hosts the office of the U.S. Fifth Fleet and has been straight exposed to Iran’s attacks and threats astir the Strait of Hormuz.

MIKE WALTZ PUSHES UN RESOLUTION TO STOP IRAN MINING KEY GLOBAL SHIPPING ROUTE

U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Michael Waltz speaks astatine an exigency Security Council gathering connected the concern successful Iran astatine United Nations office connected Feb. 28, 2026 successful New York City.  (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

"Until you spell and truly beryllium with them, you can’t admit what a beardown state they are," Waltz said.

He said U.S. and allied teams successful Bahrain are moving with planetary shipping companies, section shipping officials, security companies and different maritime actors arsenic the U.S. seeks to support vessels moving done the Strait of Hormuz, 1 of the world’s astir important vigor chokepoints.

Waltz accused Iran of making a "phenomenally atrocious decision" by attacking its neighbors, including hotels, larboard facilities and vigor infrastructure. During 1 sojourn to a petroleum site, helium said helium saw grounds that Iran had targeted occurrence suppression systems and archetypal responders earlier striking retention tanks, successful an evident effort to maximize damage.

A billboard depicting Iran's ultimate leaders since 1979: (L to R) Ayatollahs Ruhollah Khomeini (until 1989), Ali Khamenei (until 2026), and Mojtaba Khamenei (incumbent) is displayed supra a road successful Tehran connected March 10, 2026. Iran marked the assignment of Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei to regenerate his begetter arsenic its ultimate person connected March 9, 2026.  (AFP/Via Getty Images)

"The Iranians were deliberately targeting occurrence suppression systems," Waltz said. "They were deliberately targeting archetypal responders first."

Despite the strikes, Waltz said allied aerial defenses person had "over a 90% occurrence rate" successful shooting down Iranian missiles and drones, with U.S. forces moving "hand successful glove" with Gulf partners.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Waltz ended his travel successful the United Kingdom, wherever helium said officials person been beardown partners astatine the U.N. Security Council connected Iran. He acknowledged "hiccups" and "speed bumps" implicit basing and entree issues, but said galore of those concerns had been "smoothed over."

"When we’re moving to support the Iranians isolated diplomatically," Waltz said, "they’ve been precise bully to enactment with."