Iran Reportedly Sending Trade Delegation To UAE Amid Houthi Attacks

Iran will send a trade delegation to the United Arab Emirates next week, the Tehran Times said on Monday, although other media in Iran have not reported it.

The reported visit would come against a backdrop of Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi movement launching attacks on the UAE, the latest also on Monday.

The UAE has long been one of Iran's main links to the outside world, but the reimposition of sanctions by former U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018 halved bilateral trade to $7 billion in 2019 according to World Bank data.

Iran's Minister of Industry will visit the UAE with the economic delegation from February 6, the English-language government newspaper reported.

"During the three-day visit, Reza Fatemi-Amin will also meet with the UAE government and private sector officials to discuss economic and trade relations," it added.

"The trip has been organized in line with the Iranian government's plans for developing economic and trade diplomacy with countries in the region, especially Iran's southern neighbours."

The UAE government did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment on the report.

Despite Iran's continued support to the Houthis, Tehran and Abu Dhabi have tried to abate tensions.

In December, Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the UAE's senior national security adviser, visited Iran and expressed hopes of a "turning point" in Iranian-UAE relations.