Why it matters
The UAE is Iran’s largest trading partner among its neighbors, with $11 billion in trade recorded between April and August 2024.
Strengthening ties between Tehran and Abu Dhabi holds significant importance for regional stability, given their shared maritime borders and economic interdependence.
Both sides emphasized the importance of regional cooperation to maintain peace and stability.
What they're saying:
Araghchi called for regional efforts to preserve Yemen’s unity and territorial integrity, stressing that Iran sees a solution in Yemeni-Yemeni dialogue.
Bin Zayed, also for his turn, highlighted the UAE’s steps to reduce tensions in Yemen and reaffirmed the need for peace and stability across the region.
Both ministers expressed satisfaction with growing bilateral ties and pledged to pursue issues of mutual interest.
The big picture:
The United Arab Emirates supports southern separatists, particularly the Southern Transitional Council (STC), whose forces have recently expanded their control over oil-rich areas in Hadhramaut and other southern provinces.
Meanwhile, accusations that Saudi forces carried out airstrikes on separatist positions underscore the fragile balance of power in southern Yemen.
Analysts warn that the UAE’s support for separatists, while aimed at countering the Ansarallah Movement, risks deepening divisions and potentially splitting Yemen into two states after decades of unification.
Go deeper:
Iran's Top Diplomat Urges Unity, Territorial Integrity in Yemen
Hossein Amiri - M.a.Mahmoudi
