Meanwhile, in Vienna, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia are in talks with Tehran amid Iran’s nuclear deal efforts with world powers, and Sheikh Nahyan’s visit comes in the context of this.
The UAE reached a diplomatic recognition agreement with Israel last year, raising tensions with Iran. The UAE has long served as a lifeline for Iran to the outside world amid international sanctions.
Dressed in a navy-blue thobe dress, a black suit jacket and his signature aviator glasses, Sheikh Tahnoon met with the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani. Both smiled and shook hands in front of the reporters before meeting. Behind them was a large map of Iran and the Persian Gulf, on which a fragment of the Emirate was visible.
Sheikh Tahanoon is the brother of the powerful Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the de facto ruler of the emirate, a federation of states of the seven sheikhs.
Under Sheikh Mohammed, the United Arab Emirates has begun a rapid expansion of its military forces to counter Iran, which it sees as a threat. The emirate also hosts US and French armies, and its port of Jebel Ali is the busiest port of the US Navy outside the US.
Sheikh Tahnoon has also had at least one meeting with the head of Mossad, the Israeli intelligence service.
Iran’s state television later quoted Shamkhani as saying that “warm and friendly” relations between the two countries are a priority and they should not be influenced by other countries. Perhaps he was referring to America and Israel.
Sheikh Tahnoon also met with President Ibrahim Raisi, a staunch supporter of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad was also on a visit to Tehran on Monday.
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Qani, who is leading the Vienna talks, also recently visited the United Arab Emirates for talks.
AP Suresh Naresh
Naresh
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