Iran appoints UAE ambassador, 1st time in 7 years

ALBAWABA - Iran appointed its first ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, after seven years of downgrading relations between the two countries.

Iranian media outlets announced on Tuesday that Tehran has appointed Reda Amiri as its ambassador to Abu Dhabi. Amiri is the former director general for Iranian national affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Iran will soon dispatch its new ambassador to Abu Dhabi after the ambassador's position has been vacant for seven years.

The last Iranian ambassador to the UAE was Mohammad Reda Fayyad, who returned to his country in 2016. The work of the Iranian embassy in Abu Dhabi continued at the level of charge d'affaires only.

UAE reduced its diplomatic representation in Iran after Saudi Arabia cut ties with Tehran, more than seven years ago.

In January 2016, Iranian groups stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran, following the execution of the opposition Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr in K.S.A. This led to a deterioration in relations between the two countries and the withdrawal of ambassadors.

However, relations began to improve between Riyadh and Tehran after it was agreed, on March 10, to reopen the embassies of the two countries within a maximum period of two months, with Chinese mediation.

In August, the UAE, in turn, moved to raise the level of relations with Iran by announcing the return of its ambassador to Tehran.

Till now, no official announcement has yet been made about the appointment, either from the Iranian or Emirati side.

Ameri previously held the position of Iran's ambassador to Algeria, Sudan and Eritrea.

He was also responsible for the Middle East and Persian Gulf affairs at the State Department.