The UAE and Iran

United Arab Emirates officials said that the diplomatic efforts exerted by the UAE have succeeded in preventing Iran from attending the ministerial meeting due to be held in Beirut on March 11 to show the Arab League's solidarity with Lebanon.

AP quoted these officials as saying that the UAE refused to attend this meeting if Iran attended and that it was supported by other Arab countries to this effect.

The same sources stated that the pressure practiced by the UAE succeeded in replacing Kamal Kharazi, the Iranian foreign minister, with the OIC's secretary general, Azzedine Laraki.

The UAE is in a conflict with Iran over three islands in the Gulf.