The foreign ministers of Iran and the UAE through a video call held talks on bilateral and regional issues, with coronavirus in the region a key topic of discussion, according to Al Jazeera.
UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan told his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif bilateral cooperation was important in tackling COVID-19, according to news agencies.
Zarif later tweeted it was “a very substantive, frank and friendly video conversation” on COVID-19 as well as “bilateral, regional and global situations”. He said, “We agreed to continue dialogue on the theme of hope – especially as the region faces tough challenges and tougher choices ahead.”
The surprise discussions come at a time Iran appears to be waging a lone battle with the UAE and Saudi Arabia, both of which have close ties to the US. Iran has also stood firmly with Qatar in the wake of the blockade imposed by several nations, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
In March, the two ministers held a telephone call in which Sheikh Abdullah expressed the UAE’s support for Iran during the coronavirus outbreak, at a time the latter was among the worst-hit countries worldwide.