By Staff, Agencies The foreign ministers of Iran and the United Arab Emirates during a virtual meeting discussed the COVID-19 crisis and agreed to step up their cooperation against the viral infection. In a video call during which they also exchanged greetings for the Muslim Eid al-Adha holiday, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahyan told his Iranian counterpart that strengthening bilateral cooperation was important element in tackling the coronavirus, UAE state news agency WAM said.

Iran’s foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said in a tweet on Sunday that it was “a very substantive, frank and friendly video conversation” on COVID-19 as well as “bilateral, regional and global situations.” “We agreed to continue dialogue on theme of hope – especially as region faces tough challenges, and tougher choices ahead,” he wrote.

The two ministers held a telephone call in March in which Sheikh Abdullah expressed the UAE’s support for Iran during the coronavirus outbreak