Iran rejects UAE statement on missiles 'launched from Iran'

TEHRAN - Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei on early Wednesday rejected a statement by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that two ballistic missiles were launched on Tuesday from Iran toward the UAE.

Baghaei made the denial in a statement, saying the UAE's behavior was in contradiction with the principle of good neighborliness and disrupted ongoing efforts to promote trust among regional countries and prevent the intensification of insecurity.

He called on regional countries to refrain from making "baseless" accusations "given the existing complications owing to the continued malicious acts by the United States and Israel against peace and security in the region."

The UAE's Ministry of Defense said Tuesday that its air defense systems detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran toward the country, adding that the missiles were targeting maritime traffic.

The ministry said that the first missile fell outside the UAE's territorial waters, while the second fell within the country's territorial waters.

The UAE's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said early Wednesday that the UAE has suspended all trade, commercial exchanges and financial transactions with Iran until further notice, citing "regional escalations that undermine regional and international peace and security."