TEHRAN - Ali Bagheri Kani, that deputy foreign minister for political affairs, said on Thursday that Iran has appointed a new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), signifying an increasing thaw in relations between the two nations after seven years of frosty ties.

Bagheri Kani said the administrative process for the ambassador’s credentials is nearly finished, and the next Iranian ambassador to the UAE will soon go to Abu Dhabi.

“In recent months the UAE returned his ambassador to Tehran and we have also reciprocated and appointed an ambassador and the necessary decisions been made,” IRNA quoted Bagheri as saying.
 
The news of sending ambassador to the Arab country came as Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, visited the UAE on Thursday, where he called for advancing bilateral political, economic, and security relations.

Shamkhani met with Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE’s national security adviser, among other officials during his visit. 

In addressing the challenges that the region is facing, Shamkhani underlined the value of collaboration and convergence over enmity and divergence.

The visit also comes after Saudi Arabia and Iran expressed their intention to resume diplomatic ties, including the reopening of their embassies, within two months of the announcement. 

After five days of intensive talks, Iran and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to restore ties. The talks were mediated by China.

Arab neighbors have hailed the reconciliation between the two regional superpowers.