Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Thursday, Sep 04, 2025

Iran Resumes Diplomatic Relations with UAE and Kuwait, Talks Continue with Saudi Arabia

Iran Resumes Diplomatic Relations with UAE and Kuwait, Talks Continue with Saudi Arabia

Amid positive signals surrounding nuclear talks among Iran and Western nations, both the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait have quietly restored diplomatic ties with Tehran. Iran's Foreign Ministry indicated Monday that talks with Saudi Arabia over resuming ties are also going in a positive direction.
Eyes are focused on the bigger prize of a diplomatic rapprochement between Tehran and its long-time nemesis, Riyadh. Ties between Iran and both the UAE and Saudi Arabia were cut in 2016 following the execution of Saudi Shi'ite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told journalists Monday that the positive regional climate is bolstering optimism over the possible resumption of diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia. Both Iraq and Oman have helped broker unofficial talks between Tehran and Riyadh.

Kanani says that Iran has made efforts to improve ties with Saudi Arabia and has seen reciprocal steps from the Saudi side. We are optimistic, he says, that the positive regional atmosphere is fostering the path of communication and dialogue, and ultimately, better relations.

Kanani went on to say that serious differences and thorny issues still divide Tehran and Riyadh but that "positive steps have been taken" on the negotiating track.

Khattar Abou Diab, who teaches political science at the University of Paris, tells VOA that the nuclear talks in Vienna have created a positive regional atmosphere that is contributing to improved relations between Iran and former adversaries Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

He says the Saudi-Iran talks in Baghdad and improving ties between Turkey and Saudi Arabia have created the impression of a calming of tensions in the region and a logic of discussing differences rather than pursuing a path of conflict.

Abou Diab argues that "despite several attacks by Iran's Houthi allies on the UAE, trade ties between the Emirates and Iran were never broken, and a good neighbor policy still prevails."

Washington-based Gulf analyst Theodore Karasik tells VOA that both the "restoration of diplomatic ties between the UAE and Iran is important in the current changing strategic environment."

He noted that "more interaction with Tehran by the Emirates is seen as a necessity because of geography and economic recovery from the pandemic and other issues. Both sides will still disagree on policy objectives, but at the same time, they need the formality (of relations) to cooperate, negotiate and argue over theaters where their interests overlap, besides the Gulf."

Paul Sullivan, a Middle East analyst at the Atlantic Council, tells VOA that trade between Iran and the UAE was "at its height in 2017 ... dropping to a trickle after the countries severed relations." He notes that there "may be 500 to 600 thousand Iranians in Dubai."

He adds that "GCC-Iran tensions, the war in Yemen and Iran's support of Hezbollah and other terror groups in the region have caused serious consternation in the UAE."

"The fact that the UAE is sending an ambassador to Iran," he argues, "does not mean that all is well. More likely," he argues, "it means that greater understanding is needed to develop future relations. U.S. sanctions still apply to Iranians in the UAE and to financial and other arrangements between the UAE and Iran," he notes.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Information Warfare in the Age of AI: How Language Models Become Targets and Tools
Israeli Airstrike in Yemen Kills Houthi Prime Minister
After the Shock of Defeat, Iranians Yearn for Change
YouTube Altered Content by Artificial Intelligence – Without Permission
Iran Faces Escalating Water Crisis as Protests Spread
More Than Half a Million Evacuated as Typhoon Kajiki Heads for Vietnam
HSBC Switzerland Ends Relationships with Over 1,000 Clients from Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Qatar, and Egypt
Sharia Law Made Legally Binding in Austria Despite Warnings Over 'Incompatible' Values
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
×