Twitter Clash Between Iranian and Emirati Foreign Ministers

On Wednesday, January 13, Iran's Foreign Minister responded on Twitter to the remarks of his Emirati counterpart, who mocked Iran's criticism of Saudi Arabia's human rights record, stating that 'arrogant newcomers' should not interfere in politics. According to Reuters, the sarcastic comments from Mohammad Javad Zarif and Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UAE's Foreign Minister, reflect the tensions in the relations between the two countries, which have extensive economic ties but poor political relations. Following the diplomatic tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which arose after the execution of a Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia and the attack on its embassy in Tehran, the UAE government firmly supported Riyadh. After these events, Saudi Arabia severed its relations with Iran, and the UAE downgraded its relations with Iran as well. On Sunday, Mohammad Javad Zarif criticized Saudi Arabia's human rights record in an op-ed for The New York Times titled 'Unrestrained Saudi Extremism,' accusing the country of supporting extremism and 'exacerbating sectarian hostility.' However, the Iranian government has also faced criticism from human rights groups and Western governments for its own human rights record and support for armed extremist groups in the Middle East. In response to Zarif's article, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan tweeted in Arabic to his 2.5 million followers, 'When I read the New York Times article, I thought the author was the foreign minister of a Scandinavian country.' On Wednesday, Zarif tweeted back, 'Diplomacy is the domain of mature and rational individuals, not arrogant newcomers.' Although Zarif did not directly name the UAE, analysts believe he was referring to the Emirati Foreign Minister. Iran prides itself on its ancient civilization and historical power, distinguishing itself from the Gulf Arab states that have gained wealth and status in recent decades due to oil revenues. Reuters notes that the UAE has supported Saudi Arabia's active foreign policy over the past year, which claims to aim at preventing Iranian interference in its internal affairs. Emirati forces play an active role in the Arab coalition led by Saudi Arabia, which is fighting Houthi forces in Yemen (whom they claim are supported by Iran). However, the UAE, a federation of seven emirates with Abu Dhabi as its capital and Dubai as its commercial and economic center, is also a significant center for Iran's trade with the world, with 400,000 Iranians currently living in the country. Experts believe that the UAE, particularly Dubai, will benefit greatly from trade and economic relations with Iran following the lifting of international sanctions against the country as a result of last summer's nuclear agreement.