Israel deal 'betrayal' of Islamic world by UAE: Ayatollah Ali Khamenei

The United Arab Emirates has betrayed the Islamic world and the Palestinians by reaching a deal toward normalising ties with Israel, Iran’s top authority Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said in a speech on Tuesday.

“Of course, the UAE’s betrayal will not last long, but this stigma will always be remembered. They allowed the Zionist regime to enter the region and forgot Palestine,” Khamenei said.

“The Emiratis will be disgraced forever ... I hope they wake up and compensate for what they did.”

Iranian authorities have harshly criticised the U.S.- brokered deal between the UAE and Tehran’s longtime foe Israel, with some officials warning that the UAE and Israel cosying up to one another risks conflagration in the Middle East.

Israel and the UAE expect economic benefits from the deal, the first such accommodation between an Arab country and Israel in more than 20 years, which was forged largely through shared fears of Iran. It has dismayed Palestinian leaders, however, who believe it further erodes their struggle for an independent state.