U.A.E. rewarded with coveted AI chips for supporting U.S. war in Iran

President Donald J. Trump meets with Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, at the Hotel Royal Evian, Tuesday, June 16, 2026, on the margins of the G7 in Evian-les-Bains, France.(Official White House Photo by Daniel Torok)

By Eliot Brown, Amrith Ramkumar and Rebecca Ballhaus • Jul 15, 2026

The United Arab Emirates has gained expanded access from the U.S. to coveted artificial-intelligence chips after aiding America in recent months by carrying out dozens of airstrikes against Iran, intercepting hundreds of missiles and keeping oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz.

The move by the U.S. to give greater AI capabilities to the U.A.E. caps a yearslong push by the Gulf state to obtain American technology to diversify its economy. The decision also highlights the central role chips have come to play during diplomatic discussions.

Under a Trump administration rule change announced Friday, the U.A.E. will be treated like European countries, South Korea and India when buying technology, military items or energy infrastructure that could have military applications, the Commerce Department said. The U.A.E. previously was in a group that included China and Yemen.