In phone call with UAE FM, Amir-Abdollahian says ‘israel’s’ presence in region threat to all

In a Wednesday phone conversation with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the two sides discussed the latest developments pertaining to mutual relations and regional issues.

Amir-Abdollahian pointed to the military campaign being waged on Yemen by a Saudi-led coalition, to which the UAE is a party, saying, “We believe that the continuation of war and the spread of conflicts and disputes will not be in the interests of any of the sides and the region.”

He cautioned the UAE against Israel’s presence in the region, days after the regime’s president Isaac Herzog visited the Persian Gulf kingdom. Abdu Dhabi normalized ties with Tel Aviv over a year ago under a US-mediated deal, which has been widely condemned by the Palestinians and supporters worldwide.

“Efforts should be made to prevent initiators of tension from establishing a foothold in the region,” said the Iranian foreign minister.

As Herzog visited Abu Dhabi, Saudi-led coalition warplanes on Tuesday carried out heavy bombing raids on various neighborhoods in the Yemeni capital, Sana’a, and other provinces.

Iran, UAE enjoy growing relations: Amir-Abdollahian

Elsewhere in the conversation, Amir-Abdollahian said Iran and the UAE enjoy positive and progressive relations, adding, “Good meetings and consultations have been held between officials of the two countries.”

For his part, the UAE foreign minister reiterated his country’s firm determination to expand relations with Iran, stressing the need to continue bilateral talks on various issues.

On the ongoing crisis in Yemen, Al Nahyan said that his country was making efforts to encourage all Yemeni parties to reach a political solution with the support of the United Nations.

Saudi Arabia launched the war on Yemen in March 2015 with the participation of the UAE and other countries and extensive military support of the United States and the Europeans.

The war has left hundreds of thousands of Yemenis dead and displaced millions more. It has also destroyed Yemen’s infrastructure and spread famine and infectious diseases there.

Despite Saudi Arabia’s incessant bombardment of the impoverished country, the Yemeni armed forces have gradually grown stronger, leaving Riyadh and its allies bogged down in the country.