TEHRAN – President Mahmud Ahmadinejad said here on Monday that vicious efforts to undermine relations between Iran and the United Arab Emirates will fail.

In a meeting with visiting UAE Prime Minister Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktum, Ahmadinejad said, “The enemies’ interference will not affect cooperation between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab Emirates.”
The president said Iran and the UAE will defend the rights of one another at all international venues.
He added the two sides can also play an important role in maintaining security in the Middle East. “The Islamic Republic of Iran and the United Arab Emirates can cooperate for establishing a permanent security in the region.”
Ahmadinejad asserted that the Islamic Republic favors highly expanded relations with the UAE and is ready to share its “precious achievements” with the Arab nation.
The two countries enjoy “brotherly” relations and “both would be pleased to see the progress, dignity and security of each other,” the president observed.
“The visit of the Emirates’ prime minister to Iran is an insistence on brotherly relations between the peoples of the two countries.”
For his part, Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktum dismissed the Western powers’ allegation that Iran poses a threat to regional security.
“Claims by foreigners that the Islamic Republic of Iran is a threat to regional countries is too fantastic because the lives and history of regional countries are intertwined,” the UAE prime minister stated.
The prime minister also called for close cooperation between the two countries, especially in economic area.
“Iran and the Emirates can prove that they are complementary to each other by expanding relations in all areas including economy,” the prime minister noted.
---------------Iran, UAE discuss establishing joint economic committee
Iran’s First Vice President Parviz Davudi also discussed bilateral relations and Tehran’s nuclear program with Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktum.
“We talked about different issues including economic ties, and both countries underlined improving relations,” Davudi told a joint press conference after the meeting.
“In addition, we discussed Iran’s peaceful nuclear program with the emir of Dubai who defended Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear technology.”
Establishing a joint economic committee was also raised at the meeting, the vice president stated.
Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktum said Iran and the UAE enjoy “historic and strong” ties and expressed hope that his meeting with Iranian officials will provide the ground for boosting mutual cooperation