The United Arab Emirates’ national security advisor expressed Abu Dhabi’s readiness to expand cooperation with Iran, hoping that a visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi would usher in a new chapter in the two countries’ relations.
“We are the children of this region and share the same fate, so expansion of bilateral relations is on our agenda,” Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan said in a meeting with Raeisi in Tehran on Monday, President.ir reported.
He also extended the Emirati president’s official invitation to Raeisi to visit the Persian Gulf Arab country.
During the meeting, the Iranian president stressed that promoting friendly relations with regional countries is a priority of his administration’s foreign policy, which is why it welcomes expansion of ties with the UAE.
“There must be no obstacles to Iran-UAE relations and the ties must not be affected by foreigners’ propaganda,” he said.
Raeisi said the strategy of the region’s enemies is to create fear among neighbors, but such schemes could be neutralized by wisdom and mutual understanding.
“The security of regional countries are tied together and Iran supports the security of Persian Gulf littoral states,” he said.
The Emirati senior advisor also earlier met his Iranian counterpart, Ali Shamkhani, and held detailed negotiations which he said would be a turning point in bilateral relations, helping improve overall security in the region.
“Iran as a great and strong country in the region, enjoys a unique geopolitical position as it is the gateway between the east and the west,” he said.
Developing brotherly relations between Abu Dhabi and Tehran is a priority of the UAE, according to Sheikh Tahnoon.
“It is essential to establish expert working groups to work out areas for joint cooperation in various economic sectors and identify the impediments to remove them,” he said.
Shamkhani also expressed hope that the Emirati official’s visit would be the beginning of a new era of mutual relations and pave the way for the expansion of ties in all sectors.
He stressed that stability and sustainable security can only be achieved through constant dialogue and cooperation among regional countries.
The security official also underlined that it is important for regional countries to avoid being influenced by the interventionist policies of extra-regional countries.
“Persian Gulf countries can not only improve the welfare of their nations, but also play an important role in the economy of the region and the world if they join forces,” he said.
He also called for joint efforts to end military and security issues in certain regional Muslim countries that have hardened the lives of their nations.
“Dialogue and common understanding should replace military approaches to solve issues,” he said.
Iran and the UAE have had business ties stretching back over a century, but they have been on different sides on certain issues, including the war in Yemen.
Sheikh Tahnoon’s visit comes amid Abu Dhabi’s efforts to de-escalate tensions with Iran as part of a policy choice toward diplomacy and away from confrontation.
