January 31, 2016 – The UAE’s Ambassador to the US has accused Iran of continuing to spread instability in the region after the nuclear deal, but said he hoped diplomacy could work to convince Tehran that a peaceful order is in the region’s best interests.
“Since the signing of the nuclear deal, we have seen nothing but more Iranian aggression,” said Yousef Al Otaiba.
But, he added: “We are hopeful that Iran will seize this historic opening with a new commitment to regional stability and respect for the sovereignty of the other nations.”
“It is time to see if Iran is willing to show the same kind of pragmatism and moderation in its regional policies,” he said, referring to Tehran’s approach to the nuclear deal.
Speaking at the Centre for International and Strategic Studies think tank in Washington on Friday, the Ambassador pointed to Iranian military support for Houthi rebels in Yemen and the Bashar Al Assad regime in Syria as key illustrations of Tehran’s destabilizing policies in Arab countries.
The UAE Embassy posted photographs to Twitter during Mr Al Otaiba’s remarks, claiming to show military communications equipment and anti-tank missiles found on Iranian smuggling boats bound for Yemen that were intercepted by coalition forces in autumn.
The Ambassador called on the United States to focus its diplomatic efforts on putting an end to such Iranian policies with the “same level of urgency, determination and leadership” that it displayed during negotiations for the nuclear accord, and to hold Tehran accountable for violations of international law.
“What the nuclear deal has done is take one significant threat off the table at least for the next 10 to 15 years that should give us the opportunity to address everything else in a far more objective way,” Mr Al Otaiba said.
Tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, have flared since the nuclear deal was implemented last month, and diplomatic ties were formally severed after the burning of the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The UAE downgraded its relations with Iran.
He also said “if Tehran continues to ignore opportunities for reconciliation, Iran’s influence will ultimately prove to be even more destabilizing than ISIS.”