Iran’s Shamkhani in UAE in Pursuit of ‘Strong Region’
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani is on a landmark visit to the United Arab Emirates to strengthen political, economic and security cooperation between Tehran and Abu Dhabi.
The top Iranian security official is accompanied by governor of the Central Bank of Iran (CBI)Mohammad Reza Farzin, head of the Iranian Intelligence Ministry’s foreign intelligence organization, and the Iranian foreign minister’s deputy for the Persian Gulf countries’ affairs.
Speaking to reporters before leaving Tehran for Abu Dhabi for the one-day trip, Shamkhani said the administration of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi attaches importance to regional cooperation within the framework of the good neighborliness policy with the purpose of creating a strong region.
“If all regional countries hold the belief that they can achieve sustainable stability and security only through efforts to create a strong region, there will be hopes for the formation of new developments in bilateral and multilateral relations across the region,” he added.
Highlighting the economic, political and security commonalities between Iran and the UAE, Shamkhani stressed the need to strengthen the mutual ties via constant consultations between high-ranking Iranian and Emirati authorities.
The visit comes after Iran and Saudi Arabia announced their decision to restore ties.
Following days of intensive talks in Beijing, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed on March 10 to resume their diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and diplomatic missions within at most two months.
The Arab governments neighboring Iran have eagerly welcomed the rapprochement between the two regional heavyweights.
