An Iranian saffron seller Yassir works in his shop at Deira in Dubai on September 2, 2026. In the narrow streets of Old Dubai, saffron, cumin, pistachios and almonds from Iran continue to line the stalls, as if the war in the Middle East had had no impact on trade flows between the two sides of the Gulf. Last month, the United Arab Emirates announced the suspension of trade and financial ties with Tehran, which retaliated against US attacks by targeting the country and blocking the strategic Strait of Hormuz. But in the neighbourhoods of old Dubai, where they are firmly established, Iranian traders do not believe that the ties forged over decades between the Gulf city and southern Iran particularly the informal ones will be severed. (Photo by FADEL SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)