Iran and the United Arab Emirates, whose ties have worsened since the war in West Asia began, want to “turn the page”, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday, a day after he met UAE Crown Prince in New Delhi on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit.
The war began after US-Israeli attacks on Iran in February, prompting Tehran to strike US allies in the region, with the UAE facing much of the impact. In August, the UAE said it was suspending trade and financial exchanges with Iran.
Iran wants to ‘turn the page’ with UAE
Iranian President Pezeshkian said both countries want to “turn the page”, a day after his meeting with Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan in India.
“For the first time since the war and the incidents that occurred in the Persian Gulf, we had a constructive exchange with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi,” he was quoted as saying by news agency AFP.
Pezeshkian added, “It was agreed that we would turn the page, look to the future and build it together.”
Notably, Dubai has a long-established Iranian community and remains an important economic lifeline for Iran, which is facing the impact of US and international sanctions.
Inside Iran-UAE meet during BRICS Summit
Pezeshkian met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince on the sidelines of the first day of the New Delhi summit, which was the highest-level meeting between the two countries since the start of the West Asia conflict.
The two leaders discussed regional and international matters, de-escalation, stability, and efforts to support peace and development in the region, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said on X. It did not give details about any specific outcomes from the talks.
The meeting took place hours after Iran and the UAE, along with other BRICS countries, signed a joint statement urging restraint in the war in West Asia. The move suggested possible diplomatic progress between the two countries amid tensions over the conflict.
Trump on Gulf states-Iran meeting
US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he does not “care” about a proposed meeting between Iran and Gulf states to discuss the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict between Washington and Tehran continues.
“I don’t care. That’s up to them,” he told reporters during a visit to Ireland when asked about the meeting planned for Monday in Oman.
With inputs from agencies
