Lebanese Detainees in the UAE Expected to Return Soon

According to Reuters, four sources close to Hezbollah reported that Wafiq Safa, the head of Hezbollah's liaison and coordination unit, visited the UAE to facilitate the release of more than ten Lebanese citizens detained there. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not yet responded to requests for comment from Reuters. The sources indicated that Safa traveled to the UAE on Tuesday. They stated that the detainees were arrested on charges including providing support and funding to Hezbollah. Furthermore, the sources mentioned that the detainees are expected to be released in the coming days and will accompany Safa on their return trip to Lebanon. One source noted that the visit signifies efforts to reduce "some regional tensions," without providing further details. In recent years, the UAE's foreign policy movements have included restoring relations with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and normalizing relations with Israel in 2020. The UAE began re-engaging with Tehran in 2019, and Saudi Arabia restored its relations with Iran last year. In 2016, the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The Council imposed sanctions on it in 2013 for its involvement in the Syrian war. The Lebanese Foreign Ministry mentioned that the UAE released ten Lebanese nationals last year who had been detained by authorities there for two months.