Gulf nations are on edge as Iran continues its retaliatory offensive after the US and Israel launched their joint military action against it over the weekend. Owing to its significantly close ties with the US, Dubai has particularly emerged as one of the biggest targets of Iranian airstrikes, which have so far struck multiple luxury hotels and its main airport.
At a time when Iran is showing no signs of holding back its attacks, and loud explosions are being heard all over Dubai, Telegram CEO Pavel Durov’s social media remarks about the city have become quite the talking point on X.
What Telegram CEO Pavel Durov wrote about Dubai on X
Early Monday morning (IST), Durov took to his official X account, revealing that he had left Dubai for Europe a week ago.
Most international travellers, who are currently stuck and stranded in the Gulf countries due to multiple airspace closures amid the ongoing war, are desperately praying to find a safe passage out of the Emirates. However, the Telegram CEO, whose platform is even being used by state-affiliated Iranian media outlets like Fars to spread “propaganda” videos about the country’s underground arsenal, is waiting to go back to Dubai.
Despite turmoil taking over the UAE, Pavel wrote on X, “I’m not only missing the free fireworks from Iran, but also exposing myself to greater risk.” Drawing parallels between Europe and the Emirates, he added, “Given Europe’s crime rates, Dubai is statistically safer even with missiles flying. Can’t wait to be back.”
No country is perfect, but Dubai and UAE broadly are objectively safer and better run than many areas of Europe
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 1, 2026
His post even elicited a response from the world’s richest man, aka Tesla CEO Elon Musk. “No country is perfect, but Dubai and UAE broadly are objectively safer and better run than many areas of Europe, the tech mogul commented under Durov’s post.
As a popular ‘World of Statistics’ account, which has millions of followers on X, ranked “Europe’s Most Dangerous Cities, according to citizens (crime index),” citing the Numbeo database, Durov responded, “Poor Turin (the 24th). It used to be perfectly safe when I lived there in late 80s — early 90s.”
Dubai vs London crime rate
He continued similar conversations with others in the same thread. British-American businessman and former kickboxer Tristan Tate also chimed in, sharing a photo that compared crime in Dubai and London.
“How many people have been killed in Dubai from bombings in the last year? Just give me the number. 0,” the picture stated. Its other half read, “How many knife attacks have there been in London in the last year? Just give me the number. 14,800.”
Durov took note of the post and said, “One has to admire the risk appetite of those vacationing in London. Brave souls!”
As of March 2, the ‘Crime Comparison Between Dubai and London’ on the Numbeo database reveals the following figures:
Dubai crime index: 16.12
London crime index: 55.43
Dubai safety scale: 83.88
London safety scale: 44.57
As of today, the United Arab Emirates ranks as the safest country in the world with a near-perfect score of 86, according to Numbeo’s Safety Index by Country 2026. The United Kingdom sits at rank 89 on the same table.
Dubai under attack
Regardless of Pavel’s enthusiasm about wanting to return to Dubai, it’s impossible to dismiss the fact that the beloved tourist hotspot is, in fact, under attack. For the past two days, Dubai residents have primarily stayed indoors while Iran continues to launch missiles and drones at its glorious landmarks.
Places affected in the process include Dubai International Airport (DBX), which is the world’s busiest by passenger traffic, and the five-star Fairmont The Palm hotel on the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai’s luxury man-made archipelago. Debris from an intercepted drone also caused a “minor fire” at the Burj Al Arab hotel. A similar “aerial interception” led debris to cause a fire in a berth at Jebel Ali deep sea port, the world’s ninth busiest.
As for personal accounts pouring in from Dubai, resident Satya Jaganathan told the BBC that his family is sheltering in place. He further shared that her sister’s family and pets also had to move to their apartment as they lived close to the Jebel Ali port, where there was “a lot of debris falling.”
“It’s still relatively calm as there are only loud noises every few hours, but it is eerie because this is not the Dubai we are used to,” she added.
Yet another resident, Becky Williams, told the outlet she saw about 15 missiles “launched from behind my house yesterday.” She was referring to missiles the UAE authorities fired to intercept Iranian projectiles. “You can hear the interceptions happening in the air.”