DUBAI: Iran’s top diplomat has travelledto the United Arab Emirates (UAE)on Monday to pay his respectsafter the death of President Khalifa bin Zayed, Iranian statemedia reported, while Tehran welcomed the appointment of theGulf state’s new ruler.

The trip by Hossein Amirabdollahian is the highest levelvisit by an Iranian official to the Gulf country since Yemen’sIran-aligned Houthi movement launched a deadly strike on the UAEin January.

While indirect talks between arch-foes Tehran and Washingtonto revive a 2015 nuclear deal have stalled since March,Amirabdollahian’s trip coincides with the visit of ahigh-ranking U.S. delegation, headed by Vice President KamalaHarris, to Abu Dhabi to also offer condolences on the death ofPresident Khalifa bin Zayed last week.

In 2019, the UAE started engaging with Iran followingattacks on tankers off Gulf waters and on Saudi energyinfrastructure.

Iran’s deputy Foreign Minister Ali Bagheri Kani visited theUAE in November, when he said the two countries had agreed toopen a new chapter in bilateral relations.

UAE strongman Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who wasformally elected president by the country’s federal supremecouncil on Saturday, led a realignment of the Middle East thatcreated a new anti-Iran axis with Israel and fought a risingtide of political Islam in the region.