When Iranian ambassador Reza Ameri assumed office in June 2023, after the post had remained vacant for about seven years, he prioritised boosting tourism between the UAE and Iran. Ameri focused on enhancing people-to-people ties and economic cooperation between the two countries.
In an exclusive interview with Khaleej Times, the diplomat said, “The firm political will among leaders of the two countries has strengthened relations across all fronts, including boosting tourism and cultural exchanges.
“We are very keen to promote tourism between the UAE and Iran. We are also interested in exchanging official and business delegations,” he added, noting: “Plans are underway to enhance mutual understanding by familiarising Iranians with Emirati laws and customs, and vice versa.”
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The two countries recently held a joint consular committee to address lingering challenges related to visas, residency permits, and banking. The ambassador is confident the issues can be resolved through continued dialogue.
“Facilitating easier travel and commercial ties has also become a key priority as Iran emerges from years of sanctions,” Ameri continued.
Cultural similarities
Ameri also took note of the cultural similarities between the two nations. “The Iranian-Emirati relationship is rooted in ancient history. The two countries are Muslim and neighbours, and what distinguishes the Iranian-Emirati relationship is the Iranian policy to be friendly and helpful to neighbours
“Iran will not set any limits to strengthening ties with the UAE across various fields. We are ready to strengthen this relationship, in all fields and at all levels, and we will find mechanisms to achieve this.”
According to the Iranian Embassy, there are about 500,000 Iranians residing in the UAE, and more than 5,000 Iranian companies registered in the country,
“The Iranian expat community has become a vital bridge between the neighbouring states. The presence of this huge Iranian community makes our responsibility greater,” said Ameri
Future of UAE-Iran relations
Talking about future collaboration, Ameri spoke of the “vast untapped potentials in advanced industries such as nanotechnology, artificial intelligence (AI), and pharmaceuticals”. He believes these will open new avenues for the economic partnership between the UAE and Iran to flourish.
The ambassador also outlined several areas for future cooperation, including increasing the number of Iranians residing in the UAE to boost trade and economic activities, as well as encouraging the Iranian community in the UAE to provide more commercial and economic services.
The ambassador also discussed plans to hold joint consular and economic committees between the two countries, as well as signing new agreements and MOUs in advanced industries like nanotechnology, AI, and pharmaceuticals. Furthermore, the ambassador expressed a desire to collaborate with large Iranian companies interested in accessing the UAE market.
Assurances from Iran
Ameri outlined Iran’s desire to attract Emirati investment and participate in various commercial and economic opportunities. He said: “We say this to anyone who wants to participate, and to the Emiratis who may have any doubts about cooperating with Iran – we want to assure them that Iran has all the reasons for success for any commercial and economic operation, and there are wide areas for investment in Iran.
“We have a Foreign Investment Law that provides excellent benefits for a foreign investor. Iran is also ready to provide information, consultations, and any necessary facilities to prospective Emirati investors,” he added.
Moreover, Ameri offered to connect Emirati investors with “some reputable Iranian companies that can deal with them.”
The Iranian ambassador also highlighted the potential of creating a corridor running from southern Iran to northern Iran, “which could serve as a strategic route for Emirati goods to travel from Iranian ports in the south to the interior, and onward to the GCC countries, Turkey, and Europe.”
“Iran is now considered a safe, easy and shorter corridor in terms of distance for goods to travel from southern Iran via Iran and be distributed in the GCC countries, Turkey and Europe,” he added.
Four decades of service
Ameri was born in Tehran in 1961. He has more than 40 years of experience working in Iran’s Foreign Ministry. He has served as ambassador in several Arab and African countries before being posted to the UAE, for his fourth ambassadorial role.
He arrived in the UAE on June 12, 2023 and began his work by meeting with various Emirati officials, including ministers, and rulers. He said: “The UAE is a very important country for any diplomat because there is an active movement in diplomacy. I never felt alienated because here – first and foremost – there are many Iranians, and there are also many commonalities between Iran and the Emirates.”