Iran, UAE Seek to ‘Turn the Page’ After West Asia War: Pezeshkian

Iran and the United Arab Emirates, whose relations have deteriorated since the outbreak of the West Asia war, want to “turn the page” and rebuild ties, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday, a day after meeting Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi.

The conflict began after US-Israeli attacks on Iran in February, prompting Tehran to target US allies across the region, with the UAE bearing much of the impact. In August, the UAE announced the suspension of trade and financial exchanges with Iran.

Iran Wants to ‘Turn the Page’ With UAE

Pezeshkian said both countries had agreed to look beyond the conflict and work together on their future.

“For the first time since the war and the incidents that occurred in the Persian Gulf, we had a constructive exchange with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi,” he was quoted as saying by AFP.

“It was agreed that we would turn the page, look to the future and build it together,” he added.

Dubai has a long-established Iranian community and remains an important economic and commercial lifeline for Iran, which continues to face the impact of US and international sanctions.

Inside Iran-UAE Meeting at BRICS Summit

Pezeshkian met Sheikh Khaled on the sidelines of the first day of the BRICS Summit in New Delhi. It was the highest-level meeting between the two countries since the start of the West Asia conflict.

The two leaders discussed regional and international developments, de-escalation, stability and efforts to promote peace and development in the region, according to the Abu Dhabi Media Office.

The office did not provide details of any specific agreements or outcomes from the meeting.

The talks came just hours after Iran, the UAE and other BRICS members signed a joint statement calling for restraint in the West Asia conflict. The development indicated a possible opening for diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Abu Dhabi amid heightened regional tensions.

Trump on Proposed Iran-Gulf States Meeting

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said he did not “care” about a proposed meeting between Iran and Gulf states to discuss the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict between Washington and Tehran continues.

“I don’t care. That’s up to them,” Trump told reporters during a visit to Ireland when asked about the meeting scheduled for Monday in Oman.