TEHRAN - UAE Ambassador Saif Al Zaabi who has resumed his diplomatic activities in Iran after a six-year gap met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian on Tuesday.

During the meeting, Amir Abdollahian said Iran’s neighborhood policy centers around developing relations with all neighbors, including the United Arab Emirates, the Foreign Ministry said in a report on its website.

The foreign minister also insisted on the need for cooperation between regional countries with the purpose of promoting security and stability.

Amir Abdollahian also said it is necessary to tap existing potentials to develop bilateral relationship, establish joint high commission council, regulate consular ties, and also facilitate activities of Iran’s educational and health institutes in the UAE.

For his part, Ambassador Al Zaabi expressed pleasure over his return to Iran. He also said great economic and commercial potential in the two countries form an important bedrock to increase bilateral ties.

The ambassador also briefed the Iranian foreign minister about the views of the senior UAE officials about establishing warm relationship and exchange of visits between the two countries.

The UAE recalled its ambassador in 2016, following Saudi Arabia’s decision to sever ties with Iran in the wake of protests in Tehran in which demonstrators stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran after the kingdom executed an influential Shia cleric and dozens of other pro-democracy activists.

Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic advisor to the President of the Emirates, said in August that the decision to return ambassador to Iran comes within Abu Dhabi’s regional orientation towards “restoring bridges” and strengthening relations.

“The wise leadership’s decision to return the country’s ambassador to Tehran comes within the UAE’s regional orientation towards restoring bridges, strengthening relations, maximizing the common and building on it to create an atmosphere of trust, understanding and cooperation,” Gargash wrote on his Twitter account, according to Hoshyar Pakistan.

Gargash added, “We are firmly convinced of the necessity of Arab and regional work and coordination for a stable region and a prosperous future.” 

In August, Kuwait also promoted diplomatic relations with Iran to ambassadorial level after more than six years.