A maritime security delegation from the UAE arrived in Tehran on Tuesday to resume bilateral coast guard meetings between Iran and the Arab country after a 6-year hiatus, in a bid to increase joint efforts on enhancing maritime security in the Persian Gulf region.

A seven-member delegation from the UAE coast guard arrived in Tehran to attend the 6th joint coast guard meeting which will be held in line with the plans to boost maritime security cooperation between the two Persian Gulf littoral states, Fars News Agency (FNA) reported.

 During the meeting, the two sides will discuss issues of mutual interest, including shared borders, nationals’ commutes, and illegal traffics, as well as ways for facilitating the maritime connections between the two countries.

 Iran has always attached great importance to strengthening ties with the Middle Eastern countries in a bid to maintain security in the region, FNA added.

 The meeting comes after a six-year halt. The fifth coast guard meeting between Iran and UAE was held in July 2013.

 On February 19, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif renewed his call for a new framework for security in the Persian Gulf region, repeating that for years, he proposed a dialogue forum that would include all the littoral states of the Persian Gulf.

 Late in May, Zarif said that Tehran has proposed the regional states to collectively ink a non-aggression pact.

 In a joint press conference with his Iraqi counterpart Mohammed al-Hakim in Baghdad on May 26, Zarif underlined good talks with al-Hakim on regional issues, saying that Iran was willing to have balanced relations with all the Persian Gulf littoral states. 

“Iran is ready to sign non-aggression pacts with the Persian Gulf Arab states,” he said.

 Last month, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi said that Tehran welcomes talks with Persian Gulf countries.

 Asked about UAE’s claim on its readiness to hold talks with Iran, Mousavi answered in his weekly presser, “If they mean talking with the Persian Gulf countries, it’s a long time that Iran has expressed readiness for such talks. Iran believes that dialogue benefits all sides and it has also proposed inking non-aggression pacts. It is up to them to decide."

 “Iran openly embraces talks with them despite having some differences,” he highlighted.

 Accordingly, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araqchi said that a “regional non-aggression pact” will pave the way for neighboring countries to build trust and have constructive interaction.