UAE hopes to meet with Iran to settle three islands issue

United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Rashid Bin Abdullah al-Nueimi has expressed his hope to convene a meeting soon between the United Arab Emirates and Iran in order to settle the question of the three Gulf islands disputed by the two countries, Greater Tanb, Lesser Tanb and Abu Mousa.

In a session held by the Federal National Council (the parliament) of the UAE, al-Nueimi added, "We have the intention to maintain a solution for this problem peacefully through making negotiations or international arbitration. And we are hopeful that our Iranian brothers will have the same intention and to be ready to get into peaceful negotiations."

The UAE minister noted that there is no "misunderstanding" with Iran, as stated by the Iranian president. Rather, "There is a matter which took place in 1971, and we want to correct that mistake caused by the Shah of Iran, a mistake which still continues after the Shah."