Iran's Raisi Invites UAE President Sheikh Mohamed To Tehran

President of Iran Ebrahim Raisi invited the United Arab Emirates (UAE)'s President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to visit Iran's capital, Tehran on Wednesday.

Iran's ambassador to Abu Dhabi, Reza Ameri gave the official invitation to UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar during an official meeting with an Emirati diplomat.

The invitation was extended after Iran conducted a naval drill on Abu Musa Island, which is one of the three islands disputed with the UAE.

UAE and Iran have territorial disputes over three islands, which were under the control of the United Kingdom in the 1970s. However, the United Kingdom transferred the sovereignty of three islands - Abu Musa, Greater Tunb, and Lesser Tunb - to Iran while the UAE claimed the islands are part of its territory.

Due to this dispute, there has been tension between the two nations over the past few decades. In fact, UAE downgraded its relationship with Iran after Saudi Arabia cut all diplomatic ties with Iran.

After China acted as a mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran, both nations agreed to restore their relationship after seven years. Since then, the relations between UAE and Iran have also slightly improved, despite the drills happening in the disputed area.

Talking about the ongoing tension between the nations, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) displayed their readiness to protect the disputed area by launching military exercises, Al Jazeera reported.

The unannounced drills took place early on Wednesday around the coast of Abu Musa.

"The islands of the Persian Gulf are the honor of the great nation of Islamic Iran, and as children of this brave nation, we are duty-bound to defend our honor," the commander-in-chief of the IRGC Navy, Alireza Tangsiri said before starting the drills.

The IRGC commander-in-chief, Hossein Salami addressed soldiers during the inauguration ceremony of the drill and said that Iran is fully capable of defending its regional waters and doesn't require any foreign help for the same.

"So long as your fingers are on the triggers, our people are calm and our territory is safe," he added.

Considering the trade between UAE and Iran, UAE exported various products worth $6.58 billion to Iran. It consists of products like Broadcasting Equipment ($3.79 billion), Computers ($326 million), and Essential Oils ($185 million) as of 2021, OEC reported.

Iran, on the other hand, exported $347 million to the UAE, consisting of several products like Other Nuts ($44.2 million), Crustaceans ($29.2 million), and Melons ($16.7 million).