UAE President, Iranian FM Discuss Regional Developments

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)
TT

UAE President, Iranian FM Discuss Regional Developments

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)
UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received on Thursday Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi (WAM)

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met on Thursday with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Abu Dhabi, where the two sides shared views on enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

The UAE President and the Iranian Foreign Minister also exchanged views on a number of regional and international issues, and they discussed the importance of building on positive developments to benefit the people of the region and enhance regional stability and prosperity, according to the Emirati news agency, WAM.

During the meeting, which took place at Al Shati Palace in Abu Dhabi, the two sides discussed bilateral relations and ways to enhance cooperation.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ali Mohammed Hammad Al Shamsi, Secretary-General of the Supreme Council for National Security, Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Minister of State; and Saif Mohammed Al Zaabi, UAE Ambassador to Iran.

Later, UAE FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held talks with his Iranian counterpart on ways to develop collaboration paths between the two countries to achieve their best interest and contribute to enhancing security and stability of the region.

The discussions also tackled a number of issues of mutual interest, the situation in the region, as well as the latest regional and international developments.

Sheikh Abdullah emphasized that the UAE believes in the significance of establishing an international approach to multilateral action based on cooperation and partnership to meet the aspirations of peoples for development, progress and prosperity.

He also indicated that commitment to the principles of good neighborliness and positive and constructive dialogue among the countries of the region represents the basis for their stability, prosperity and leadership.

In Tehran, the official news agency, IRNA, stated that the Iranian top diplomat conveyed the invitation of President Ebrahim Raisi to the President of the UAE to visit Iran.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, for his part, expressed his gratitude and welcomed the invitation.

He reciprocally conveyed his invitation to the Iranian President to visit the UAE.

IRNA said that the two men also discussed various issues of bilateral relations in political, economic, commercial, cultural and consular spheres.

In another development, the UAE and Iran signed an air transport services agreement on Thursday, WAM reported.

The agreement aims to organize air transportation between the two countries.



Trump Says he Would Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
TT

Trump Says he Would Probably Meet with Putin in Saudi Arabia

President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)
President Donald Trump speaks as Tulsi Gabbard is sworn in as the Director of National Intelligence in the Oval Office of the White House, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025, in Washington. (Photo/Alex Brandon)

US President Donald has said that he would “probably” meet in person with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in the near term, suggesting that could happen in Saudi Arabia.

Trump said on Wednesday that he and Putin had agreed to begin negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump said he spent more than an hour on the phone with Putin and “I think we’re on the way to getting peace." He noted that he later spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, but he was noncommittal about whether Ukraine would be an equal participant in US negotiations with Russia.
“I think President Putin wants peace and President Zelenskiy wants peace and I want peace," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. “I just want to see people stop being killed.”

Of his conversation with Putin, Trump said, “People didn’t really know what President Putin’s thoughts were. But I think I can say with great confidence, he wants to see it ended also, so that’s good — and we’re going to work toward getting it ended and as fast as possible.”

In a post on his social media platform, he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, national security adviser Michael Waltz and Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff would lead negotiations on ending the war.

Zelenskiy's office said the conversation with Trump lasted for about an hour.
"I had a meaningful conversation with @POTUS. We... talked about opportunities to achieve peace, discussed our readiness to work together ...and Ukraine's technological capabilities... including drones and other advanced industries," Zelenskiy wrote on X.
No Ukraine peace talks have been held since the early months of the conflict, now approaching its third anniversary.