UAE President accepts invitation to visit Tehran

Sheikh Khalifa welcomed the signing of an initial deal on Iran's nuclear programme and accepted an invitation to visit Iran at some future date.

Sheikh Khalifa, the President, welcomes Mohammed Javad Zarif, the Iranian foreign minister, at Al Rawda Palace in Al Ain. Wam

ABU DHABI // President Sheikh Khalifa has accepted an invitation to visit Tehran from the Iranian foreign minister, who is in the UAE as part of a tour of GCC countries.

And Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, also accepted the invitation from Mohammed Javad Zarif.

At a meeting with Mr Zarif at Al Rawda Palace in Al Ain on Wednesday, Sheikh Khalifa welcomed the signing of an interim agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme.

The President also expressed the UAE’s readiness to strengthen relations and boost cooperation with Tehran.

Mr Zarif conveyed Iran’s appreciation for the UAE’s stance on the agreement and thanked Sheikh Khalifa for being one of the first leaders among GCC countries to approve it.

He said the new Iranian government, led by president Hassan Rouhani, was keen to strengthen its relations with the GCC countries, particularly the UAE.

The interim agreement came after four days of talks between Iran and negotiators from the United States, France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia.

It requires Iran to restrict its enrichment of uranium to 5 per cent, well below the grade needed to produce nuclear weapons, and to open its facilities to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

In exchange, there will be some easing of economic sanctions against the Islamic republic.

No date has yet been set for Sheikh Khalifa’s visit to Iran.

The Iranian minister also visited Sheikh Mohammed in Dubai, where the two discussed ways of strengthening ties and spoke about the nuclear agreement.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Minister for Foreign Affairs, attended both meetings.

Last week, Sheikh Abdullah met the Iranian president in Tehran as part of a trip that included opening a UAE embassy there.

State visits to Tehran have been rare due to tensions between the two countries.

The late President Sheikh Zayed visited the country in 1977. Sheikh Mohammed also visited the country, accompanying his father, in the late 1970s.

At a meeting of the Cabinet this month, Sheikh Mohammed said it was hoped that the pact reached in Geneva represented “a step towards a permanent agreement that preserves the stability of the region and shields it from tension and the danger of nuclear proliferation”, the state news agency Wam reported.