TEHRAN — In a telephone conversation on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan discussed bilateral, regional and international issues.

The conversation focused on issues such as the situation in Syria, and the developments in the occupied Palestinian territories.

During the conversation, the Iranian foreign minister congratulated the people and government of the United Arab Emirates on the arrival of the holy month of Ramadan and described ties between Tehran and Abu Dhabi as growing.

Amir Abdollahian also said good meetings and consultations have been held between the officials of the two countries.

He added that the formation of committees regarding bilateral ties and also the exchange of delegations have an effective role in strengthening and expanding relations.

Iran’s top diplomat added that there are no limits to expansion of relations.

The two foreign ministers underlined the significance of expanding ties between the private sectors of Iran and the UAE.

Elsewhere in the talks, Amir Abdollahian spoke of the Yemen crisis. 

He welcomed the establishment of a temporary ceasefire in Yemen and expressed hope that Yemen’s humanitarian siege will be lifted and all Yemeni factions will engage in political dialogue.

The Iranian foreign minister referred to the commonalities between Iran and the UAE, saying, “We do not wish anything other than good, security and progress for our neighbors, the region and the Emirates (in particular), but the Zionists have been and are still the root-cause of insecurity in the region.”

He said that the presence of the Zionist regime in the region poses a threat to all regional nations. Amir Abdollahian then underscored the need to make an effort to prevent those who cause crises to gain a foothold in the region.

For his part, Al Nahyan also congratulated Iran on the arrival of the blessed month of Ramadan and expressed hope that the deep-rooted ties between his country and Iran will expand in the new year.

The Emirati foreign minister also referred to the role of the common interests of Iran and the UAE in expanding ties in various areas, calling for a look into opportunities for cooperation. 

The top UAE diplomat spoke about the new conditions in the region. He said the situation has improved regionally in recent weeks and that Syrian president’s visit to the UAE and the ceasefire in Yemen have provided an opportunity for all sides to develop and progress and also avoid fueling tensions. 

The UAE’s top diplomat also underlined that his country will not allow any party to use its soil for sabotage or provocative acts against neighbors.