Iran's Ahmadinejad to visit UAE

13/05/2007| IslamWeb

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is due to visit the United Arab Emirates, the first such visit since Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979.

Relations have been strained by a long-running territorial dispute.

Nevertheless the UAE is trying to strike a balance in its relations with Tehran and Washington

Pulled in different directions by their Iranian neighbour and their American ally, the Gulf Arabs are struggling to preserve a kind of anxious neutrality.

Ever since the UAE was created as a federation of seven Arab sheikhdoms in 1971, it has had a sensitive relationship with Iran.

It was in that year that Iran - then ruled by the Shah - took over three small islands near the mouth of the Gulf which were claimed by two of the sheikhdoms.

The territorial dispute has rumbled on to this day. Nevertheless Iran and the UAE have an important trading relationship, and want to keep it that way.

For the Emirates, that means a delicate juggling act in maintaining good relations with both Iran and the United States.

Just a few days ago, US Vice-President Dick Cheney visited the UAE as part of a regional tour.

He declared America's intention of working with others to stop Iran acquiring nuclear weapons and - as he put it - dominating the region.

The Gulf Arabs are certainly worried about Iran's regional ambitions, but they also mistrust American intentions - and that is something President Ahmadinejad will hope to exploit during his visit.

PHOTO CAPTION

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, seen here on 08 May 2007, has arrived in the United Arab Emirates on the first ever visit by an Iranian head of state to the close US Gulf ally. (AFP)