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Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said that he had received information about an alleged plot to stage a 9/11-style attack and falsely blame it on Iran.
His post quickly gained traction on social media, especially among U.S.-based conspiracy theory fans. Simultaneously, social media accounts disseminated videos showing a civilian airplane approaching Dubai's Burj Khalifa to execute a 9/11-style attack. Also, AI-generated videos of the Burj Khalifa's destruction were disseminated.
Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world and the symbol of Dubai's wealth and posh lifestyle, is seen as a likely target of an Iranian attack if the war further escalates. Iran is increasingly focusing on the Emirates' civilian infrastructure, and targeting Abu Dhabi and Dubai more than any other location in the Gulf region.
It is suspected that statements from Emirates leadership ignoring "who started the war" angers the Iranian government.
"I’ve heard that the remaining members of Epstein’s network have devised a conspiracy to create an incident similar to 9/11 and blame Iran for it," he said on a U.S.-based social media company X.
“Iran fundamentally opposes such terrorist schemes and has no war with the American people,” Larijani said. The Iranian official is thought to refer to an attack on U.S. soil with his tweet, instead of a false flag attack against Dubai's Burj Khalifa
He also said Tehran is acting in self-defense against what he described as attacks by the U.S. and Israel, adding that Iran would respond “strongly and firmly” to punish those responsible.
The United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) announced the resumption of air traffic in the country's airspace after a temporary and full closure, the state news agency WAM reported Tuesday.
The decision came after the situation was stabilized and followed a thorough assessment of operational and security conditions coordinated with relevant authorities, the GCAA said.
Real-time monitoring remains in place to ensure the highest level of air navigation safety, the authority stated.
It also thanked passengers and airlines for their cooperation and affirmed its teams are fully ready to respond to any developments.
The resumption occurred after UAE officials announced a full closure of the country's airspace as an "exceptional precautionary measure" to ensure the safety of flights, crews and national territory after the Ministry of Defense reported responding to incoming missile and drone threats from Iran.
The development came as hostilities in the region have escalated since Israel and the U.S. launched joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, killing over 1,300 people so far, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while also disrupting global markets and aviation.
US Sen. Mark Kelly criticized the Trump administration Monday, saying recent remarks by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggest there was never a clear strategy behind the ongoing war with Iran.
"The ‘no quarter’ comment by the SecDef and this ‘just for fun’ remark by the President tells me there was never a clear strategy for this war," Kelly said on the U.S. social media platform X.
His remarks came after Hegseth told the reporters last week that the U.S. will keep pressing on Iran. "We will keep pushing, keep advancing, no quarter, no mercy for our enemies," he said.
According to the legal experts, Hegseth’s pledge of “no quarter" appears to violate a clear prohibition under international humanitarian law, which classifies declaring that “no quarter will be given” as a potential war crime comparable to attacking wounded combatants or those attempting to surrender.
Tensions in the Middle East have escalated since the U.S. and Israel launched a large-scale attack on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
A total of 13 U.S. service members have also been killed, and about 200 others were injured since the operation began.
Kelly said the administration appears to be improvising its objectives as the conflict unfolds.
"And at this point, three weeks in, they are just making up objectives as they stumble along all while our troops are put at risk and Americans are paying for it at the pump," he said.
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