A senior United Arab Emirates official, Anwar Gargash, has urged a quick end to the Iran-Israel war, warning of a “difficult aftermath” if the conflict is prolonged, AFP reports.

Gargash, diplomatic advisor to the oil-rich UAE’s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, said the war was “setting back” the wealthy Gulf region, saying it “flies in the face of the regional order the Gulf countries want to build”.

“The longer a war takes, the more dangerous it becomes.”

“I think any extended confrontation or war between Israel and Iran will only bring a very difficult aftermath,” Gargash said.

He added, “De-escalation is extremely important. We still feel that there is a path back to negotiations on these issues.”