UAE, Iran hold face-to-face talks to ease tensions

Senior security officials from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Iran have held a face-to-face meeting for the first time since the United States and Israel launched massive attacks on Iran on Feb. 28, U.S. media reported Thursday, citing anonymous sources.



The meeting marked a stark turnaround for both sides and came amid their growing acknowledgment of the importance of calmer bilateral ties, Bloomberg reported.



The UAE now appears to be following the same path as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which have also been hit by Iran but are pursuing diplomacy to de-escalate tensions, said the report.



During the conflict, Iran has attacked the UAE the most of any country, as Abu Dhabi struck back on multiple occasions and has taken the most aggressive stance among its Arab neighbors toward Iran, the report said.



The UAE was one of Iran's largest trading partners before the war.