UAE national security adviser holds talks with Qatar's emir

DOHA - The United Arab Emirates National Security Adviser Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed al-Nayhan, a brother of the UAE president, met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani on Tuesday, the Qatari ruler's office said.

The visit is Sheikh Tahnoon's second since Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt agreed in 2020 to end the dispute that had led them to sever ties with Qatar in 2017 over accusations that Doha supported terrorism - a reference to Islamist groups. Doha denied the charges.

Abu Dhabi and Manama have not yet appointed ambassadors to Qatar, though travel and trade links between the UAE and Qatar have been restored.

Sheikh Tahnoon and the Qatari emir discussed strengthening relations and a number of recent international and regional developments of common interest, an emiri diwan statement said without giving additional details.

Indirect talks between Iran and the United States are set to start on Tuesday in Qatar's capital, amid a push by the European Union to break a months-long impasse in negotiations to secure a 2015 nuclear pact.

Sheikh Tahnoon had visited Tehran in December last year shortly after a round of talks between Iran and world powers in Vienna had failed, in a move aimed at overcoming their long-standing differences and increasing cooperation.