UAE will suspend talks with US on F-35 jets, says official

DUBAI (Reuters) – The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will suspend discussions to acquire U.S.-made F-35 fighter jets, a UAE official said on Tuesday, part of a $23 billion deal that also includes drones and other advanced munitions.

“Technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and cost/benefit analysis led to the re-assessment,” the official said in a statement to Reuters, adding that discussions for the F-35 aircraft “may be re-opened in the future”.