The Emirati National Security Adviser, Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, discussed with the Secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani, in Abu Dhabi, developments in the Gulf region, about a week after Tehran and Riyadh agreed to resume relations.

In China, Admiral Shamkhani led his country's talks with Saudi Arabia, which led last Friday to the two influential regional powers announcing an agreement to end the severance that has been going on since 2016 within two months.

The Emirates News Agency said that Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed and Shamkhani discussed Thursday "the various aspects of bilateral relations and opportunities to strengthen and develop them in a way that serves the mutual interests of the two countries, especially in the political, economic and trade fields."

The two sides also discussed "a number of issues of common concern and exchanged views on them and the importance of making efforts for the stability and prosperity of the region," according to the agency.

For its part, the Iranian news agency "IRNA" quoted Shamkhani as saying during the meeting, "Cooperation and rapprochement must replace hostility and divergence" in the region, adding, "We must try to enhance security, peace and prosperity for the peoples of the region through dialogue, interaction and expansion of political, security, economic and cultural cooperation." .

Relations between Riyadh and Tehran were severed in 2016 when Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed an opposition Shiite cleric named Nimr al-Nimr.

The UAE, an ally of Saudi Arabia, was among the Gulf countries that downgraded its relations with Tehran following the attacks of protesters against Saudi interests, but it maintained important economic relations with it.

And last August, the UAE confirmed its decision to return the ambassador to Tehran with the aim of achieving "the common interests of the two neighboring countries and the region."

It is noteworthy that the UAE is a major player in the Saudi-led military coalition in Yemen in support of the government and in the face of the Houthis allied with Tehran. Abu Dhabi was hit by these rebels.

Riyadh and Washington accuse Tehran of providing them with weapons to attack neighboring countries, which the Islamic Republic denies.

On Wednesday, a Saudi official said that the Iranian-Saudi talks in Beijing resulted in "concrete commitments" regarding Yemen, which has been mired in war since 2014, but he did not disclose them.

"Iran is the main supplier of weapons, training and propaganda programs to the Houthis and we are the main victim of these missiles and drones and other things. So Iran can do a lot and should do a lot," he said, adding that Iran should stop "supplying weapons to the Houthis."