Bob Diamond Says UAE, Qatar Gained Stature on Iran War Response

WATCH: Bob Diamond, founding partner and CEO of Atlas Merchant Capital, discusses the emerging trend of tokenized real-world assets and an array of other topics.Source: Bloomberg

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By Caroline Hyde

May 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM UTC

Bob Diamond praised the governments of the United Arab Emirates and Qatar for their response to the Iran war, saying they improved their standing with strong economic management during a time of regional crisis.

“I probably have more confidence today in the leadership and the future of the economies like Qatar and the UAE in the Middle East than I did before the Iran conflict,” said Diamond, the former Barclays Plc chief executive officer who now runs Atlas Merchant Capital LLC. The Persian Gulf countries have reduced their dependence on oil and developed into sophisticated markets where “successful businesses will be rewarded,” he said.