Interior Min. Criticizes Deportation Of Iranians From Dubai

Tehran, April 15, IRNA – Interior Minister Mostafa Mohammad Najjar in a meeting with Sheikh Muhammad bin Rashid al-Maktoum in Dubai Sunday criticized the expulsion of Iranian nationals from Dubai, and said such move can negatively affect Iran-UAE relations. ˈThe enemies do not want neighboring countries in region as well as Shiite and Sunni Muslims to have friendly ties with each other,ˈ Mohammad Najjar said. The Iranian interior minister assessed his meeting with Sheikh Muhammad as good, and expressed hope that cooperation between two countries in different fields will continue to expand. Mohammad Najjar is currently on a three-day visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Earlier in the day, Mohammad Najjar in a meeting with UAE Interior Minister Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan stressed expansion of cooperation on security issues. Speaking to reporters at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Iranian interior minister emphasized development of ties between the two brotherly countries of Iran and UAE. Condoling with the Iranian nation and government on the Bushehr earthquake, UAE interior minister underlined the expansion of cooperation between the two countries in the field of crisis management. Sheikh Saif underscored the importance of development of ties between Abu Dhabi and Tehran in various fields. Mohammad Najjar arrived in United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital, Abu Dhabi, on Sunday afternoon. He was welcomed by his Emirate counterpart. The interior minister conferred with his counterpart on the expansion of relations in various fields, including security and border relations, campaign against drug trafficking as well as organized crimes. Iran is a significant trade partner for the UAE, with trade volume between Iran and the emirate of Dubai alone estimated at about $10 billion a year. There are no official figures for the number of Iranians in the UAE, although estimates put it at more than 400,000./end