TEHRAN, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) -- The chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces on Sunday urged the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to reconsider the establishment of diplomatic relations with Israel, official IRNA news agency reported.
In a meeting with the commanders of Iran's armed forces and media directors, Mohammad Hossein Baqeri expressed regret over a recent agreement between the UAE and Israel to normalize ties, saying it is "unacceptable" for the UAE to clinch political and economic deal with Israel.
"If something happens in the Gulf and the security of the Islamic republic is threatened, we will blame the UAE for that and we will not tolerate it," Baqeri was quoted as saying.
The agreement, brokered by the United States on Thursday, is a step to normalize the relations between Israel and the first Gulf state, while Israel agrees to suspend its plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territories in the West Bank.
Over the past four decades and since the establishment of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979, the country has emerged as an arch-enemy of Israel over the Palestinian cause.
