(Bloomberg) --
The United Arab Emirates summoned the Iranian charges d'affaires in Abu Dhabi over President Hassan Rouhani's reaction to the UAE's deal to establish ties with Israel, which it deemed “inflammatory.”
The UAE handed the official a letter condemning Iran's response to last week's announcement, saying it had serious implications for the region's stability, according to state-run WAM news agency. Anwar Gargash, the UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs, reiterated the nation's stance on Monday, saying the pact between is a “sovereign decision” not directed at Iran.
The UAE announced last week that it's moving toward normalizing relations with Israel, joining Egypt and Jordan as the only Arab countries to do so. Tehran termed the pact as a strategic mistake.
Iran's regional and nuclear ambitions have drawn Israel and Gulf Arab states closer in recent years, and Israeli and American officials have said they expect other Arab nations to follow the UAE's suit.
In a statement late on Sunday the secretary general of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Nayef al-Hajraf, also condemned the “threats” made by Rouhani against the UAE.
“These threats have serious consequences on the security and stability of the Gulf region and contradict all the diplomatic norms,” al-Hajraf said. “The GCC stands by the UAE against any threats related to its security and stability.”
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