Iran's Army Chief says Tehran's approach to UAE will change after deal with Israel

Iran's Army Chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri on August 16 said that Tehran's approach to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will change after the country agreed to the US-brokered pact with Israel on normalisation of relations. Bagheri on Sunday said that Iran will hold UAE responsible for any incident occurring in the Persian Gulf, no matter however small it may be, Tehran will not tolerate it. The UAE signed an agreement with Israel agreeing to normalise its ties with the Jewish country, which has since upset the Islamic Republic, including other countries in the region. 

Read: Israel-UAE Deal: Iran Terms It 'strategic Stupidity', France Lauds 'positive Step'

Turkey and Iran condemned UAE's decision, calling it a betrayal of the Palestinian cause with Tehran terming it a "strategic stupidity". Turkey went on to threaten the UAE of cutting diplomatic ties and calling its ambassador back from Abu Dhabi. UAE responded by calling Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's comment as 'double standards', saying that Ankara itself enjoys a $2 billion bilateral trade with Tel Aviv, apart from the half a million Israeli tourists that visit Turkey every year. Turkey has an embassy in Tel Aviv, which is a sign that it maintains diplomatic relations with Israel. 

Read: Telephone Service Begins Between UAE And Israel As Ties Open

UAE-Israel deal

On August 13, Israel and the United Arab Emirates along with the US released a joint statement that US President Donald Trump, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed agreed to the full normalisation of relations between UAE and Israel. Hamas, the de facto governing authority of the Gaza Strip, immediately denounced the agreement raising concerns about the Palestinian cause.  

Read: Mauritania Supports Deal Between UAE And Israel To Improve Relations

Read: Kushner: UAE-Israel Agreement 1.5 Yrs In The Making