Iranian officials visit UAE to discuss business co-operation

Talks covered energy, trade, transport and tourism fields

The UAE and Iranian flags outside the Iran Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai last year. AFP

An Iranian delegation held talks with UAE officials in Abu Dhabi this week to discuss economic co-operation between the two nations, state news agency Wam said.

Minister of State Khalifa Al Marar met Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mahdi Safari and other members of the delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation.

The two sides held a series of meetings on the potential for economic co-operation in various fields, particularly energy, trade, transport and tourism, Wam said.

The Iranian delegation included officials from sectors such as oil, gas, railways, maritime transport and tourism, Iran's semi-official Tasnim news agency said.

Saeed Al Hajeri, Assistant Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs, said trade relations between the UAE and Iran were an example of private sector partnerships built on co-operation, trust and mutual benefits.

The UAE reinstated its ambassador to Iran in August last year after a phone call between Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian.

“This comes in co-ordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic republic of Iran in line with diplomatic norms governing bilateral relations,” the UAE Foreign Ministry said at the time.

National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed visited Tehran in December 2021 and met President Ebrahim Raisi and the head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani.