Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told reporters on the sidelines of the Brics gathering that Tehran and the United Arab Emirates are eager to move past their strained relationship and build a more cooperative future between the two neighbours.
The remarks mark a notable public signal from Iran that it is ready to reset diplomatic relations with the UAE, which have deteriorated significantly over the past decade amid disputes over territory, regional proxy alignments, and competing influences across the Middle East.
Pezeshkian made the comments at the Brics summit in South Africa, where leaders from across the Global South have been discussing expanded cooperation on trade, energy, and political coordination. The UAE formally joined Brics in January 2024, a move that analysts said was partly designed to give the Gulf state a louder voice inside the bloc and strengthen ties with India, China, and other member nations.
Diplomatic sources familiar with the dialogue suggested that Iranian and Emirati officials have held preliminary conversations aimed at reducing tensions along several fault lines, including maritime boundary disagreements in the Persian Gulf and differences over support for rival factions in conflict zones such as Yemen and Syria.
India has watched the Iran-UAE relationship closely, as the UAE hosts one of the largest Indian diaspora populations in the world, sending billions in remittances annually. New Delhi has maintained balanced relations with both Tehran and Abu Dhabi, deepening ties with the UAE through defence deals and energy agreements while preserving strategic partnerships with Iran in regions like Chabahar port.
Brics diplomats say the grouping could eventually serve as an informal channel for de-escalation talks among its member states and partner nations, though no formal mechanism for conflict mediation currently exists within the organisation.
