TEHRAN - A senior Iranian diplomat said on Thursday that Iran will soon send its ambassador to the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Ali Bagheri Kani, Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs, said that Iran has appointed the envoy and the process of dispatching him to Abu Dhabi is going through its final stages, reported the official news agency IRNA.

Kani made the remarks as Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani held talks on Thursday with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and National Security Advisor Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan during a visit to the UAE.

In September 2022, the UAE reinstated its ambassador to Iran, years after the two countries downgraded ties.

In 2016, the UAE downgraded its relations with Iran after Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in response to the protests held outside the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital of Tehran after the kingdom executed a senior Shiite cleric.