The UAE on Monday urged Iran to respond positively to US President Barak Obama’s call for better ties between two countries, and view Washington’s new approach as “a sign f strength” and not weakness.

In a round table discussion on the sidelines of the UAE-Australia dialogue, Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, UAE, told “To have a different approach, we cannot really just see a different approach from United States. It has to go both ways.”. His Ausralian counterpart, Stephen Smith were present in the session.

“I am not sure we are getting enough positive reaction from Tehran for different reason probably because of the upcoming elections which make it more dificult for the leadership in Iran to come up with a positive stand towards what President Barama Obama said,” he added.

He also added, reaching out to Tehran was undoubtedly something “we look at positively.”