Here's why the UAE didn't collapse in the face of US/ Iran war

Day 56 of the Iran war. Most international press wrote Dubai's obituary in March. Predictions of a mass exodus, the end of the UAE story, a 15 year setback. None of it happened. 2,800 strikes were fired at this region. Almost nobody left. Trevor McFarlane, Founder and CEO of EMIR, advisor to GCC CEOs and government leaders, explains why. Recorded in Dubai, April 22, 2026. Day 56 of the Iran war. Chapters: 00:00 Reality TV geopolitics (cold open)  00:44 Day 56: where the UAE actually stands  01:48 Why this is a "coercive pause," not a resolution  03:43 Why Rory Stewart was wrong about Dubai  11:32 What systems thinking means for a country under attack  14:54 Which sectors hold up — and which don't  21:34 Tourism, luxury, and the floating population 24:09 The next phase: sovereign resiliency in the GCC  31:28 150 CEOs, 2,800 strikes, nobody left  36:54 The real story: sociological diversification  40:18 "A place you belong, not a place you use"  41:08 Rapid fire: GDP, levers, decisions in uncertainty Trevor McFarlane: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trevormcfarlane-emir/ EMIR: https://www.emirintelligence.com/ Follow Loulou Khazen Instagram: /louloukhazen LinkedIn: /louloukhazen X: /louloukhazen Also available on: Apple Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3Stm32D Spotify: https://bit.ly/3H1vzHO Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.