Iran's President Dr Massoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that his country wants to "turn the page" with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). His remarks are significant as the relationship between Tehran and Abu Dhabi had deteriorated following the beginning of the conflict in Middle East earlier this year.
"We had a constructive exchange with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi for the first time since the war and the incidents that happened in the Persian Gulf," Pezeshkian said, a day after his meeting with UAE Crown Prince Sheik Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi.
“We agreed we were going to turn the page, look to the future and build the future together.
When conflict broke out with the United States (US) in February this year, Iran attacked its neighboring countries including the UAE which had American bases and assets. The UAE, which was the worst hit by the incident, froze its in response.
The move put Iran in a precarious position, as Dubai, the largest city in the UAE, is home to a large Iranian community that regularly sends economic help to Tehran.
But a meeting between Pezeshkian and Al Nahyan is an opportunity for the two countries to reset ties. The discussions Saturday focused on de-escalating the situation in the region and keeping everything stable.
Abu Dhabi Media Office said on X (formerly Twitter) that Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, met with Iranian President Dr Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi and discussed regional and international issues, de-escalation, stability and efforts to advance regional peace and development.
Meanwhile, Pezeshkian has blasted the West over sanctions and said the people of Iran were forced to pay a heavy price for the conflict. In his address on the sidelines of BRICS, he also called on the international community to protect civilians and to stop the “normalisation of attacks on civilian targets”.
He also highlighted the significance of Iran’s geographical situation, stating that the Islamic Republic is ready to cooperate for the development of trade and energy corridors for BRICS members. "Let us make BRICS a platform for the practical implementation of these principles," he said on Sunday.
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