Iranian Envoy Visits UAE for Resolving DisputesIran on Monday sent a special envoy to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), with which Iran is in dispute over three strategic islands in the Gulf.Hojatoleslam Mohammad Ali Abtahi, envoy of President Mohammad Khatami, left for the UAE Monday on a day-long visit to review bilateral cooperation with UAE officials, Iran's official IRNA news agency reported. During his visit, Abtahi, head of the presidential office, will deliver a message from Khatami to UAE President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, IRNA said, without elaborating on details of the message. Two weeks ago, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sheikh Hamdan Bin Zayed al-Nahyan paid a brief, surprise visit to Tehran, the first by a top UAE official in 10 years. Iran and the UAE have long been at odds over the islands of Abu Musa, Lesser and Greater Tunbs in the Gulf. The islands have been under Iranian control since British withdrawal in 1971, while the UAE also claims full sovereignty over them. Iran says that it is ready to solve the problem through bilateral negotiations, and the UAE insists on international arbitration. |
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