Iran has strongly condemned a historic deal establishing full diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, calling it a stab in the back to all Muslims.

A statement from the country’s foreign ministry, reported by state TV on Friday, called the normalising of ties between the two countries a dangerous, “shameful” measure and warned the UAE against Israel interfering in the “political equations” of the Persian Gulf region.

“The UAE government and other accompanying governments must accept responsibility for all the consequences of this action,” the statement said.

In a deal brokered by the US, the UAE and Israel announced on Thursday that they agreed to establish full diplomatic ties and Israel will halt plans for annexation of occupied land sought by the Palestinians for their future state.

The agreement makes the UAE the first Gulf Arab state – and the third Arab country, after Egypt and Jordan – to have full diplomatic ties with Israel.

They announced it in a joint statement, saying deals between Israel and the UAE were expected in the coming weeks in such areas as tourism, direct flights and embassies.

Iran said in the state TV report that the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE revealed the “strategic stupidity” of the two countries and that it “will undoubtedly strengthen the axis of resistance in the region”.

The ministry statement called the deal a “dagger that was unjustly struck by the UAE in the backs of the Palestinian people and all Muslims”.

The historic deal delivered a key foreign policy victory for US President Donald Trump as he seeks re-election, and reflected a changing Middle East in which shared concerns about archenemy Iran have largely overtaken traditional Arab support for the Palestinians.

Trump Emirates Israel
Donald Trump with (L to R), US special envoy for Iran Brian Hook, special representative for international negotiations Avraham Berkowitz, and US ambassador to Israel David Friedman, in the Oval Office at the White House (Andrew Harnik/AP)

A spokesman for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the deal amounts to “treason”, and should be reversed

Hossein Amirabdollahian, adviser to Iran’s Parliament speaker, criticised the deal on his Twitter account on Friday.

“UAE’s new approach for normalising ties w/fake, criminal #Israel doesn’t maintain peace & security, but serves ongoing Zionists’ crimes,” he said.

Iran’s former chief of the powerful Revolutionary Guard, Mohsen Rezaei, said in a tweet that the UAE has been making itself “the paradise of Israel” for the last 10 years.

“No Muslim zealous warriors and no Arabs betray Palestine, only nerveless stabs from behind,” he said.

Turkey also condemned the deal, saying the people of the region “will never forget and will never forgive this hypocritical behaviour” by the UAE.

The Turkish foreign ministry said the UAE had no authority to negotiate with Israel on behalf of the Palestinians or “to make concessions on matters vital to Palestine”.

Turkey has had diplomatic relations with Israel for decades, but under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has positioned itself as a champion of the Palestinians.

Turkey and the UAE support rival camps in the conflict in Libya.