US and UAE hold talks on security and Iran

US and UAE hold talks on security and Iran
UAE's Prince Mohammed bin Zayed visited Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Speaker Paul Ryan at the White House on Tuesday, as Donald Trump goes on the defensive.
2 min read
17 May, 2017
Trump and bin Zayed met at the White House on Monday [AFP]
Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed visited US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Washington on Tuesday, as the two countries look at bolstering joint security efforts and work together on a number of regional issues.

The pair discussed the situation in Syria, Yemen and Libya and possible diplomatic solutions to ending the wars there during the meeting, according to the UAE's WAM news agency.

Both sides committed to "fighting terrorism, extremism and violence" and working against "violent regional interferences", the state news agency said.

Abu Dhabi daily The National said the pair looked at ways to "counter Iran's influence" in the region, which Gulf states believe has led to instability in Syria, Iraq and Yemen.

"This has to do with standing up in unity against Iran as opposed to any particular religious overtone," Tillerson said on Monday.

Trump also met with bin Zayed at the White House on Monday.

Bin Zayed also held meetings with Speaker of the House of Representatives Paul Ryan and a group of senators to discuss President Donald Trump's planned visit to Saudi Arabia later this month.

Bin Zayed said this visit should strengthen ties between the US and Arab World.

But a scandal surrounding the US president allegedly passing on classified information to Russia overshadowed the visit.

Last week, the US gave the green light for a $2 billion sale of Patriot missiles to the UAE.