Talks between Iran and UAE end in deadlock

Abu Dhabi (Reuter) - Iran and the United Arab Emirates broke off talks on the future of disputed Gulf islands in deadlock, with Iran refusing to discuss ownership of two of the three islands.

Iran's chief delegate said that after two days of talks the two sides could not even agree on an agenda for the negotiations, called to ease the tensions created by Iran's virtual annexation of the island of Abu Musa.

'They (the UAE) insisted that the problem of the two Tunbs should be on the agenda. We told them that nobody is allowed to talk about the sovereignty of any land of Iran,' Mustafa Haeri- Foumani, Iran's chief negotiator said.

The UAE issued a strongly worded statement blaming Iran for the breakdown in the talks and said it would resort to any peaceful means to regain sovereignty over the three islands.