Gulf States in March 2026: the most important developments in society
In March 2026 daily life in the Gulf states was shaped by the Iranian attacks on the region and the closure of airspace that followed. Travellers from many countries were stranded in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and the safety of Dubai was debated after Iranian strikes, with Telegram chief executive Pavel Durov and Elon Musk defending it. The UAE covered hotel stays and meals for stranded visitors and waived fines for visa overstays. Governments organised repatriation flights, among them Italy, Lithuania, Greece, Japan, Singapore, Ireland, Brazil and the Philippines, which brought home more than 450 citizens. China said over 10,000 of its travellers had returned, and tens of thousands of Indians went home. The US State Department told American citizens in the UAE to depart, and Germany issued a travel warning.
Authorities set limits on what residents could share. Dubai warned influencers against posting images of war damage, the UAE Attorney-General warned against sharing pictures of debris, and the UAE said spreading unverified information online is a crime. Qatar arrested over 300 people for allegedly spreading rumours. On 11 March Dubai introduced a law on shared housing, with fines of up to one million dirhams, and later set out new safety procedures, including evacuation plans.
Schools moved online. UAE schools used distance learning from the start of the month, and by 30 March it had been extended to 17 April. India's CBSE board postponed and then cancelled Class 12 exams in the UAE, its CISCE board cancelled ICSE and ISC exams, and International Baccalaureate students in the UAE were told they would not sit exams. Qatar resumed in-person classes on 23 March.
Eid al-Fitr began on 20 March. The UAE limited Eid prayers to mosques, Dubai's Global Village cancelled its fireworks, and Kuwait banned concerts, weddings and large gatherings. In the last third of the month heavy rain and flooding hit the UAE and Oman, where five people died after their vehicles were swept away. On 22 March a helicopter crash in Qatari waters killed seven people, including three Turkish citizens.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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