Yemen rebels welcome UAE visit to Iran

By Abdullah Ahmed

SANAA (AA) – Yemen's Houthi rebel group on Wednesday welcomed a visit by a military delegation from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Iran.

"The UAE message from Iran was positive,” Houthi member Mohamed Ali al-Houthi said on Twitter, without providing any further details.

On Tuesday, a UAE military delegation arrived in Tehran for talks on border cooperation between the two countries.

The seven-member Emirati delegation came to attend the Tehran-hosted 6th meeting of coast guards of the two countries.

The last such meeting was held in 2013, according to Iranian media.

Ties between Abu Dhabi and Tehran have been strained over the three disputed islands of Greater Tunb, Lesser Tunb, and Abu Musa. Abu Dhabi claims the islands are occupied by Iran.

Tensions between the two countries have also been aggravated during the five-year military conflict in Yemen, where the UAE is part of a Saudi-led coalition fighting Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

They have also increased over accusations against Iran of targeting -- or inciting other groups to target -- oil tankers in the Gulf, which Tehran denies.

In May, the UAE announced that four oil tankers were subjected to sabotage operations off the port of Fujairah. Iran denied U.S. accusations of responsibility for the attack.