ABU DHABI // An Emirati political expert believes Hassan Rouhani’s efforts to improve relations with the UAE may lead to some movement on Iran’s occupation of three islands.
Dr Sultan Mohammed Al Nuaimi addressed the issue of Abu Musa and the Greater and Lesser Tunbs at a lecture, Iran: Between Ahmadinejad and Rouhani.
When asked about settling the dispute of the islands, which Iran invaded on the eve of the UAE’s union in 1971, he said: “This is what we have always hoped.
“We are happy that there is a good relationship with Iran, and that Hassan Rouhani might help us and the other [Arabian] Gulf countries.”
Dr Al Nuaimi, a political affairs researcher, also said Iran’s openness to the world, including over its nuclear programme, improved as soon as Mr Rouhani came to power after his election in June.
“We’ve seen a change in Iranian policies and we know that the agreement of the nuclear agreement provides us an opportunity to discuss the issue,” he said.
“We have to talk. We have to see what’s going on in Iran. Was Hassan Rouhani the reason for such openness or had other factors contributed to the change in policies?”
Last month, Iran and six world powers struck an interim nuclear agreement under which Tehran is to limit its nuclear energy programme in exchange for relief from international sanctions.
The deal was struck after four days of talks between Iran and negotiators from the United States, France, Britain, Germany, China and Russia.
It requires Iran to restrict its enrichment of uranium to 5 per cent, well below the grade needed to produce nuclear weapons, and to open its facilities to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Dr Al Nuaimi spoke about Iran’s improving relations with its neighbours, especially GCC states.
The Iranian foreign minister, Mohammed Javad Zarif, has visited Gulf countries, including the UAE.
Dr Al Nuaimi also noted Mr Rouhani’s keenness to improve bilateral relations with the United States and other western powers.
“Many people find that the change that took place in Iran was the result of the smile that appeared on Rouhani’s face, while the last difficult eight years was when Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was president was the reason behind the failure of Iran to become more flexible and more open,” he said.
Dr Al Nuaimi’s lecture was on Monday evening at the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research.
A member of the Abu Dhabi University faculty, he holds a BA in Persian language and literature and a master’s and PhD from Cairo’s Ain Shams University.
He is a regular contributor to Al Ittihad, the Arabic-language sister paper of The National.
rruiz@thenational.ae
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Name: Thndr
Started: 2019
Co-founders: Ahmad Hammouda and Seif Amr
Sector: FinTech
Headquarters: Egypt
UAE base: Hub71, Abu Dhabi
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Favourite Quote: Prophet Mohammad's quotes There is reward for kindness to every living thing and A good man treats women with honour
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Favourite Book: The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
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