UAE displeased with Iran

A source close to the United Arab Emirates Foreign Ministry said the UAE has summoned an Iranian diplomat and conveyed to him its regret over an Iranian television report involving the UAE's name in a drug-trafficking case carried out by Taleban Islamic movement.

The source added that the Iranian charge d'affairs, Mahmoud Imtiaz, was summoned on Monday to the UAE Foreign Ministry which conveyed to him "the UAE's strong regret over these groundless claims" and asked him for "official explanation."

The UAE source added that Iranian television reported last Thursday that the Afghan "Taleban" movement smuggles every day one tonne of drugs by air via Dubai airport in the UAE. The UAE sources asserted that these claims "are untrue and damage relations between the two countries."

The UAE and Iran are involved in a dispute over three islands in the Arab Gulf: Abu Mousa, Greater Tanb and Lesser Tanb, occupied by Iran since 1971.

Only the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan have so far recognised the Taleban movement.