DUBAI - Dubai's ruler has urged theinternational community to ease sanctions against Iran, in aninterview broadcast by the BBC on Monday.
Asked whether he thought it was now time to lift sanctionsagainst Iran, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is alsothe Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, told the Britishbroadcaster:
"I think so ... Iran is our neighbour and we don't want anyproblem," he said.
The vast majority of trade between Iran and its Gulf Arabneighbours is routed through Dubai, home to tens of thousands ofethnic Iranians and one of seven emirates making up the UnitedArab Emirates.A deal between Iran and six major powers intended to pavethe way to a solution to a long standoff over Tehran's nuclearambitions will come into force on Jan. 20, the Iranian ForeignMinistry and the European Union said on Sunday.