Iran, Turkey slam UAE over agreement with Israel

Iran has said the establishment of diplomatic ties between its arch-rival Israel and the United Arab Emirates is a “dagger in the back” of all Muslims, while Turkey said the UAE had “betrayed” the Palestinian cause.

Iran and Turkey on Friday resoundingly condemned the normalization of ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The US-brokered deal announced Thursday establishes full diplomatic relations between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi, while haltingIsraeli plans for annexation of occupied land in the West Bank.

Iran called the deal a “dagger in the back” of all Muslims, according to a foreign ministry statement.

Tehran also said the deal was an act of “strategic stupidity” by the UAE, and “will undoubtedly strengthen the axis of resistance in the region.”

In separate remarks, Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif slammed the deal as a “theater” fabricated by the US.

“They (US) think that by fabricating the theater like the one that happened yesterday unfortunately, that they can determine the fate of Palestine,” Zarif said in televised comments during a visit to Lebanon.

Iran’s top diplomat also said that the current US administration had “proven that it is not capable of understanding the political realities in our region.”

Palestinian Authority: deal is ‘treason’

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday the deal amounts to “treason,” and should be reversed.

The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement supporting the Palestinian administration, saying that the “history and the conscience” of the region’s people will not forget and never forgive the “hypocritical behavior” of the United Arab Emirates in agreeing to a deal with Israel.”While betraying the Palestinian cause to serve its narrow interests, the UAE is trying to present this as a kind of act of self-sacrifice for Palestine,” the foreign ministry said.