The president of the United Arab Emirates met with Iran's visiting foreign minister on Thursday in the latest sign of improving relations between Arab Gulf countries and the Islamic Republic.

The meeting between Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian came as the two countries have been seeking to reduce tensions and build cooperation.

The UAE and Iran have long been suspicious of each other, but in recent months they have taken steps to improve relations. In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to normalize relations for the first time in seven years.

The UAE meeting is seen as a further sign of the thawing relations between the two countries. The UAE state-run WAM news agency said the two leaders discussed the importance of building on positive developments to benefit the people of the region and enhance regional stability and prosperity.

Iranian state TV said the two met for 90 minutes and discussed further cooperation in different fields. It said the Iranian foreign minister invited Sheikh Mohammed to visit Iran and that the UAE president invited Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi to visit the Emirates.

The UAE is a close U.S. military ally that hosts some 2,000 American troops at the Al-Dhafra Air Base. U.S. forces based there and in other Arab Gulf countries have long been seen as a deterrent to Iran.

The UAE was also the driving force behind the so-called Abraham Accords, in which it and three other Arab countries forged ties with Israel. Israel views Iran as its greatest threat and hopes to further isolate it by pursuing closer ties with Arab states.

Israel and the U.S. are keen to reach a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia. Saudi officials say any such agreement would have to be linked to resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Analysis

The meeting between the UAE president and the Iranian foreign minister is a significant development in the ongoing thawing of relations between the two countries. It is a sign that both sides are interested in reducing tensions and building cooperation.

The meeting is also likely to be seen as a positive development by the United States, which has been encouraging its allies in the Gulf to improve relations with Iran. The U.S. is hoping that closer ties between the Gulf countries and Iran will help to reduce tensions in the region.

It remains to be seen how far the UAE and Iran will be able to go in improving their relations. However, the meeting is a positive step in the right direction and could lead to further progress in the future.