ABU DHABI // Officials and experts are hopeful but wary of the notable change in relations between the UAE and Iran.
After a year of heightened tensions between the countries, the signing of a nuclear agreement marked a new chapter.
Friction escalated after the islands of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs were invaded by Iran on the eve of the UAE’s union in 1971.
Since then, other points of contention have included Iran’s close relationship with the overthrown Muslim Brotherhood-led government in Egypt.
But Iran has recognised that the UAE was one of the first Arabian Gulf countries to approve the nuclear pact reached in Geneva.
Following a visit by Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, to Tehran last week, when he inaugurated the UAE’s latest Embassy, the Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, and Iran’s foreign minister reached out to the UAE’s leadership and expressed a desire to bring the countries closer.
The Iranian foreign minister is in the UAE and was welcomed by President Sheikh Khalifa and Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, who both warmly accepted invitations to Iran.
“The UAE is very much ready to extend a hand of friendship, it has shown that it’s most generous when it comes to Iran,” said Dr Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a prominent Emirati political scientist.
“Now the question is, will Iran reciprocate? Will Iran return all these gestures as expected? The ball is in Iran’s court at the moment.”
Dr Abdulla said one of the first issues that needed to be resolved if Iran wanted to show its determination to patch up relations was the island dispute.
“Otherwise there will always be tension between the two countries,” he said.
It is unclear whether Iran is willing to resolve the issue but Dr Abdulla said a new administration and new president in Iran could mean a new beginning.
Ali Jassim, a Federal National Council member from Umm Al Quwain, has negotiated several times with the Iranian parliament over the island dispute. He hoped Iran’s new friendship was not just a media front.
“We want them to transfer words into actions,” he said. “Not once did we see real action after these visits. If there is a real intention for a better relationship, the islands dispute will be resolved.”
Mr Jassim hoped this was the “beginning of a new page for the two countries”.
Another FNC member, Ahmed Al Jarwan (Sharjah), also head of the Arab Parliament, said this was the time for diplomacy between the two countries in light of Iran’s improved relations with the United States.
He also questioned Iran’s intentions and hoped they were sincere, saying the Arab parliament stood behind the UAE when it came to the UAE’s sovereignty over the three islands.
osalem@thenational.ae
