The United Arab Emirates has suspended all trade relations with Iran following a missile attack. For Italian food companies exporting to the Gulf market, this geopolitical escalation raises concrete questions about supply chains, certifications and opportunities to reposition.
On 19 August 2026, the United Arab Emirates announced the suspension of all trade relations with Iran in response to a ballistic missile attack. This was reported by Salaam Gateway, which monitors the global Islamic economy. The measure interrupts significant trade flows in the Gulf area and redraws, at least in the short term, the balance of food supply in the region.
For an Italian food company that exports — or intends to export — to the United Arab Emirates and the Gulf countries, this news is not an abstract geopolitical backdrop: it is an operational signal worth reading carefully.
The United Arab Emirates is one of the most structured destination markets for Italian food exports to the Islamic world. Dubai and Abu Dhabi also act as redistribution hubs to other Gulf and Middle Eastern countries. Any shock to trade flows in the region — and the suspension of relations with Iran is a significant one — tends to create knock-on effects on local supply chains.
In practice, when a market like the Emirati one abruptly cuts access to a long-standing supplier, two opposing dynamics open up that Italian companies need to be able to read:
To access the food market of the United Arab Emirates, a product must be accompanied by Halal certification issued by a body recognised by the competent local authorities. In particular, the main institutional references for the Emirates are GAC (Gulf Accreditation Centre) and EIAC (Emirates International Accreditation Centre).
HQC Italia is recognised by both GAC and EIAC, which means that certification issued by HQC allows products to enter the Emirati market without the need for further local approvals. This is a decisive practical point: at a time when supply chains are being redefined, an Italian company with certification already valid in the Emirates is in a stronger position than one that still has to start the process.
If your company already exports to the Emirates or plans to, now is the right time to check how solid your position is. These are the most useful steps to take:
Beyond the crisis with Iran, the economic context of the Emirates remains solid. Salaam Gateway also reports that the Emirati economy is pivoting towards expansion, with an active adaptation strategy on the part of the large local energy operators too. This indicates that domestic demand for quality food — and therefore also for Halal-certified Italian products — is set to remain high in the medium term.
Local Islamic finance is growing: the assets of Emirati Islamic banks reached AED 1.4 trillion in June 2026, with a target of AED 2.56 trillion by 2031. An Islamic financial system of this size fuels structured demand for Halal-compliant products and services, including imported food.
If your company does not yet have valid Halal certification for the Emirates, or you want to check that your current certification correctly covers your products and is recognised by the Emirati authorities, HQC Italia provides a free quote within 24 hours. With more than forty years of activity and recognition by GAC and EIAC, we manage the entire certification process, from application to the issue of the certificate.
At a time when Gulf supply chains are being redefined, holding solid, recognised Halal certification is not optional: it is the condition for market access.
Source: Salaam Gateway, 19 August 2026
Tell us about your product and your target markets: the quote is free and arrives within 24 hours.