UAE

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Long-time Mideast rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia took another significant step toward reconciliation Thursday, formally restoring diplomatic ties after a seven-year rift, affirming the need for regional stability and agreeing to pursue economic cooperation.

The agreement was reached in Beijing during a meeting between the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers, a month after China had brokered an initial reconciliation agreement between the two regional powerhouses.

04 Apr 2023; MEMO: Iran has appointed an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates for the first time in eight years, Iranian state media reported on Tuesday, Reuters reports.

Reza Ameri, the newly appointed Ambassador, formerly served as the Director-General of Iranian expatriates office in the Foreign Ministry.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — In the years since Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman catapulted to power, it has been hard to find a controversy in the Middle East that doesn’t somehow involve the 37-year-old heir to the throne. Now he’s pivoting to his next audacious plan: Giving peace a chance.

The moves toward reaching a détente with Iran, reestablishing ties to Syria and ending the kingdom’s yearslong war in Yemen could extricate Prince Mohammed from some of the thorniest regional issues he faces.

DUBAI, April 2 (Reuters) - The Iranian navy said it identified and warned off a U.S. reconnaissance plane near the Gulf of Oman on Sunday, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

"After the warning, the plane was prevented from entering the country's skies without authorization," said the report, identifying the plane as a U.S. Navy EP-3E.

While the opening line of the Tasnim report said the aircraft had crossed into Iranian airspace, the same report also said the aircraft had not entered Iranian skies and had left after the warning.

31 Mar 2023; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates' central bank today said it will cancel the licence it granted last year to Russia's MTS bank, which was placed under British and US sanctions in February, Reuters reports.

Operations at the bank's UAE branch, which is licensed in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, will be wound down within six months under central bank supervision.

DUBAI, March 31 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates' central bank on Friday said it will cancel the licence it granted last year to Russia's MTS bank, which was placed under British and U.S. sanctions in February.

Operations at the bank's UAE branch, which is licensed in the emirate of Abu Dhabi, will be wound down within six months under UAE central bank supervision.

A statement from MTS Bank said it will fulfil all settlement obligations to existing customers and guarantee the safety of their funds for six months.

29 Mar 2023; MEMO: United Arab Emirates appointed a new Vice President, two deputy rulers and a Crown Prince for Abu Dhabi on Wednesday, state media reported, Reuters reports.

Mansour Bin Zayed will serve as Vice President alongside Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime minister and ruler of Dubai, the agency said.

27 Mar 2023; MEMO: The United Arab Emirates has pardoned and released an Israeli woman who was jailed for drug trafficking last year and had initially faced execution, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said on Saturday, Reuters reports.

Fidaa Kiwan's death sentence had been commuted to life in jail, but following Israeli appeals for clemency she was pardoned by UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan in honour of the Ramadan holy month, Herzog said in a statement.

27 Mar 2023; MEMO: Israel and the United Arab Emirates on Sunday signed a free trade pact into effect, reducing or removing tariffs on about 96% of goods traded between the nations, Israel's Foreign Ministry said, Reuters reports.

The countries first reached the agreement last May, promising to boost bilateral trade after they normalized ties in 2020 in a U.S.-brokered deal.

27 Mar 2023; MEMO: The UAE strongly condemned on Sunday Israel's decision to allow Jewish settlers to go back to illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank from which they had been removed under the 2005 "disengagement law". Amendments to the law have been passed by the Israeli parliament, the Knesset.