TEHRAN— The Doha-based Al-Arabi Al-Jadeed news website quoted Iranian sources as saying that Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will soon travel to the United Arab Emirates.

The sources stressed that the trip is almost certain and is on the agenda of the Iranian foreign minister and will most likely take place late next week.

According to these sources, negotiations between the two countries to resume and strengthen relations and reduce tensions in the region have begun long ago and the UAE is set to send its ambassador to Tehran in the next step.

The UAE cut ties with Iran five years ago, when the Iran-Saudi dispute nosedived as protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran over the execution of Shia cleric.  The storming drew strong response from officials in Tehran.

These developments are taking place at a time when there are signs of efforts by Iran and Saudi Arabia to reduce tensions in the region.

Some countries, such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, have repeatedly stressed the need to participate in negotiations to return to a 2015 nuclear deal with Iran, but now, despite progress in the nuclear talks in Vienna, such an issue is not raised by these countries.

Last week, the Iranian foreign minister visited four countries in the region including Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.

SA/PM