The UAE Foreign Ministry has denied claims by Tehran that Iranian visitors are being discriminated against at the country’s airports.A Ministry official on Thursday insisted no discrimination was practised against any particular nationality and said all passengers, irrespective of their citizenships, have to pass through strict security procedures, news agency WAM reported.
These include the iris scanning, which is mandatory on every passenger entering on a new visa, added the unnnamed official.
Expressing astonishment at comments of the Iranian government, the official said that the concerned authorities are prepared to look into any grievance if put by a passenger, as the country is always keen to ensure every passenger has a comfortable journey.
The comments came after the Iranian Foreign Ministry accused the UAE of discriminating against Iranian travellers in the latest row to hit the two countries.
They are already in dispute over Iran’s controversial occupation of Abu Musa island which the UAE says it has sovereignty over.
A statement by the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council on Tuesday condemned the construction and called for the closure of the offices on Abu Musa but Iran insists it has done nothing wrong.