United Arab Emirates President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan appeared publicly in a high-level meeting with US Senator Lindsey Graham, dispelling online speculation about his health. The appearance followed rumours triggered by a now-deleted statement attributed to the Turkish presidency.
Earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan travelled to Saudi Arabia and was expected to visit the neighbouring UAE despite an ongoing diplomatic rift. However, on Sunday, Erdogan announced he would postpone his planned trip to Abu Dhabi, citing a “health problem” concerning the Emirati leader. The remark later disappeared from the official statement.
Consequently, the development fuelled widespread rumours across social media platforms. In addition, Sheikh Mohamed’s Wikipedia page was briefly edited to falsely claim that he had died, intensifying speculation about his well-being.
Images and statements aim to reassure public
On Wednesday, the UAE Presidential Court released video footage showing the president smiling during a meeting with Senator Graham at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi. Meanwhile, the Emirates News Agency published photographs from the engagement, reinforcing the official narrative that the leader remains in good health.
Furthermore, the president’s office shared images on Saturday evening showing Sheikh Mohamed, widely known as MBZ, alongside Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. The visuals appeared intended to counter misinformation circulating online.
Following the meeting, Senator Graham wrote on social media platform X that he held a 90-minute discussion with the UAE president. He also dismissed claims about Sheikh Mohamed’s health as baseless, urging observers to reject false narratives and rely on verified information from official sources.
