United Arab Emirates, in UN debate, says Iran’s actions destabilized region

Addressing the United Nations General Assembly, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates today expressed concern over Iran’s actions that caused “tension and instability in the region.”

“Regional interference in Arab affairs, mainly perpetrated by Iran, the only country in the world with a constitution that explicitly calls for exporting its revolution, has aggravated conflicts in the region,” Minister Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said, citing what he saw as Iran’s expansionist reginal policies, flagrant violations of the principles of sovereignty, and constant interference in the international affairs of its neighbouring countries.

He said that a number of Arab countries, including Yemen, Libya, Iraq, Syria and Somalia, have descended into internal fighting. The past few years have proven that solutions based on crisis management are ineffective. “Settling for managing the crises, bandaging the wounds, repeating charitable humanitarian efforts or holding recurring international conferences are no substitutes for solving these crises,” he said.

“Therefore, joint international efforts must focus on finding fundamental solutions for these conflicts,” he stressed.

The international response to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s decision to develop its nuclear and ballistic capabilities and carry out regular tests is another example of inclination to avoid fundamental solutions and settle for condemnation alone, he said.

The UAE affirms its deep belief in the values of justice, international law, human rights, the pillars of good governance as well as the importance of providing an enhanced environment of happiness to its citizens and residents, he said, noting that the empowerment of women has become a central policy in his country.

His country has also built mechanisms to protect youth from falling into the clutches of extremism and violence through the establishment of the Hedayah Center to combat extremism. Additionally, the Muslim Council of Elders and the Forum for the Promotion of Peace in Muslim Communities were established to demonstrate the true face of Islam. These institutions aim to protect young people who have been polarized by extremist, sectarian and terrorist groups, and to counter the false claims of these groups.