Saudi King Salman 'expressed extreme irritation with the UAE'

Saudi King Salman reportedly said the UAE, which has been playing a dubious role in Yemen.

1 min read

28 August, 2019

Saudi Arabia and the UAE claim to have good relations [Getty]

Saudi Arabia has in recent weeks been privately expressing "extreme irritation" with close ally UAE, according to a media report on Monday.

A source close to the Saudi monarchy told Reuters that King Salman expressed "extreme irritation" with the UAE, Riyadh's closest Arab partner, Reuters reported.

The king's annoyance was voiced in a conversation on 11 August when speaking to Yemeni President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi, according to report.

When asked about the matter, a Saudi official described that account as false.

"Saudi Arabia and the UAE remain strategically aligned on the sources of instability in the Middle East and cooperate very closely to counter a wide array of security threats in the region and beyond. Bilateral relations between the two nations are unshakable," he said.

UAE authorities refused to comment on the phone conversations but one official told Reuters both countries were "completely aligned" on Yemen adding that with Iran, de-escalation was the only way forward.

Abu Dhabi has been playing dubious roles in the region, particularly in Yemen, where Abu Dhabi has supported southern seperatists against the Saudi-backed Hadi government.