By Alexander Cornwell

ABU DHABI, Nov 9 (Reuters) – Senior Emirati official Anwar Gargash warned on Monday that the region could face a prolonged period ‌of uncertainty, saying a comprehensive political settlement between the United States ‌and Iran to end the more than eight-month war appeared to be difficult.

• “We should … prepare for a ​long period of uncertainty in which neither a decisive resolution nor stable regional order can be taken for granted ,” Gargash said in an address to a geopolitical conference in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates capital

• Gargash also said the consequences ‌of the US war with ⁠Iran “may persist for a long time”, requiring the UAE to invest in its “defensive capabilities, the maintenance of credible deterrence, and stronger ⁠international security partners”

• The UAE opposed the US war with Iran from the outset, said Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president

• Speaking in Manama on November ​1, ​Gargash said the UAE was “braced for the ​worst” amid fears in the region ‌the US was on the verge of striking Iran and that Tehran would retaliate by attacking Gulf states, as it had earlier this year

• US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday said he did not believe a breakthrough on diplomatic efforts to end the war was imminent

• On Monday, Gargash said a ‌prolonged period of regional uncertainty would require sustained ​diplomatic engagement by the UAE with Iran ​and other regional and international partners

• ​Some of that engagement in the near term might be ‌transactional by necessity, he said, without ​specifying what that might ​entail

• Gargash also said the war demonstrated the importance of the UAE’s defence and security cooperation with Washington and thanked France, Israel, Greece, Egypt ​and India for their “support and ‌solidarity”

• Some countries helped defend the UAE against Iranian attacks earlier ​this year

• Gargash was speaking at the Abu Dhabi Strategic Debate

(Reporting ​by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Sonali Paul)