UAE trying to become second Israel in MidEast: FM Zarif

TEHRAN– Iran’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Tuesday that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is trying to “turn into another Israel” by spending billions of dollars on importing weapons.

In an exclusive interview with Al-Araby TV on Tuesday, Zarif rebuked the excessive arms imports of certain regional countries, saying, “The United Arab Emirates is spending billions of dollars on armaments and wants to be a second Israel in the region,” Press TV reported.

“Three countries in the region believe they can maintain their security through their relations with the United States,” Zarif said.

However, he added, they are wrong to think they can import their security from America because these weapons will be used to achieve the goals of the Israeli regime.

According to Press TV, studies show the UAE has increased its arms imports by 63% between 2012 and 2016. Its military expenditures are projected to grow to $31.8 billion by 2021 from $23.6 billion in 2016.

The country has led an increasingly interventionist foreign policy in hot spots like Libya, Syria and, most recently, Yemen.

Saudi Arabia, UAE, and a number of their allies launched a devastating campaign against Yemen in March 2015, with the goal of bringing the government of former Yemeni president AbdRabbuh Mansur Hadi back to power and crushing the Ansarullah movement.

Thousands of Yemenis have been killed since the Saudi-led aggression. The war has also taken a heavy toll on the country’s infrastructure, destroying hospitals, schools, and factories. The UN says over 24 million Yemenis are in dire need of humanitarian aid, including 10 million suffering from extreme levels of hunger.

M.Wassouf