UAE calls on Iran to resort to dialogue

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan has called on Iran to resort "to dialogue rather than confrontation" in order to settle the question of the three Gulf islands occupied by Iran and claimed by the UAE.

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi praised the position taken by the GCC concerning the conflict between Abu Dhabi and his country over the islands.

In his speech on Wednesday on the occasion of the 28th foundation anniversary of the UAE added, "We renew our call to our brothers in the Islamic Republic of Iran to start with us serious negotiations on the question of the three islands or to accept submitting the disputes to the international court for justice or international arbitration as Iran itself had demanded in the first third of this century."

He expressed his hope that the three-member Gulf state committee in charge of making direct negotiations between Abu Dhabi and Tehran will conclude positive results.