![Emirati minister of interior, Sheikh Saif bin Zayed al-Nahyan (L), and the national security adviser of the United Arab Emirates, Tahnoun bin Zayed al-Nahyan, are pictured during a welcoming ceremony for the Russian president at the Emirati capital Abu Dhabi's Al-Watan presidential palace on October 15, 2019. - Russian President Vladimir Putin is on an official visit to the UAE after Saudi Arabia, seeking to attract over $1.3 billion worth of investments in Russia's economy. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB / AFP) / The erroneous mention[s] appearing in the metadata of this photo by KARIM SAHIB has been modified in AFP systems in the following manner: [the national security adviser of the United Arab Emirates, Tahnoun bin Zayed al-Nahyan] instead of [Tahnoun bin Mohammed al-Nahyan]. Please immediately remove the erroneous mention[s] from all your online services and delete it (them) from your servers. If you have been authorized by AFP to distribute it (them) to third parties, please ensure that the same actions are carried out by them. Failure to promptly comply with these instructions will entail liability on your part for any continued or post notification usage. Therefore we thank you very much for all your attention and prompt action. We are sorry for the inconvenience this notification may cause and remain at your disposal for any further information you may require. (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/GettyImages-1175997036-e1638702159696.jpeg?fit=1200%2C799&ssl=1)
The United Arab Emirates’ top national security adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan will visit Iran on Monday to discuss expanding bilateral ties with the Islamic Republic, Iranian state media reported on Sunday, Reuters reported.
There was no immediate comment from the UAE foreign ministry about the visit of Sheikh Tahnoon, who is a brother of the country’s de facto ruler Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed and chairman of state investor ADQ.
“He will meet secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani and other Iranian officials in Tehran,” said Iran’s Nournews, which is affiliated to the SNSC.
In 2019, the UAE started engaging with Iran following attacks on tankers off Gulf waters and on Saudi energy infrastructure. Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia began direct talks with Iran in April, with Riyadh describing the talks as “cordial” but largely exploratory.
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Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said last month that his country was “taking steps to de-escalate tensions with Iran as part of a policy choice towards diplomacy and away from confrontation”.
Sheikh Tahnoon’s visit comes days after indirect talks between Washington and Tehran on reinstating Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal broke off on Friday until next week as Western officials voiced dismay at sweeping demands by the Islamic Republic.
A senior U.S. official said on Saturday Iran came “with proposals that walked back anything – any of the compromises Tehran had floated in the previous six rounds of talks that started in April and were put on hold after the election of hardline president Ebrahim Raisi in June. (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Writing by Parisa Hafezi Editing by William Mallard, Elaine Hardcastle and David Evans)