Iran rejected the United Arab Emirates\u2019 accusation that it fired two ballistic missiles that landed in the Persian Gulf, as Tehran\u2019s parliament speaker and chief negotiator landed in neighboring Iraq for a three day visit. <\/p>\n
Meanwhile, France announced that it will expel two Iranian diplomats in response to the expulsion of French diplomats from the Islamic Republic earlier this week.<\/p>\n
The souring of ties between the UAE and Iran comes amid fears of renewed escalation in the region<\/a>, with no apparent renewed talks between Iran and the United States on the horizon.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s a look at the latest developments in the Iran war and the wider Middle East on Wednesday. Full coverage can be found here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Iran denies UAE accusation of launching ballistic missiles <\/p>\n Tehran\u2019s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wednesday criticized the United Arab Emirates for accusing Iran of launching two ballistic missiles \u201ctargeting maritime navigation\u201d but fell into the Persian Gulf. In the weeks after the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran on Feb. 28, the UAE was frequently targeted by Iranian missiles and drones, but Tuesday\u2019s reported attack was the first in weeks.<\/p>\n \u201cThis behavior is contrary to the principle of good neighborliness and disrupts ongoing efforts to strengthen trust between regional countries and prevent escalation in the region,\u201d Esmail Baghaei said in his weekly news conference.<\/p>\n Not long after the incident Tuesday, the UAE Foreign Ministry said it suspended trade with Iran \u201cin light of regional escalations that undermine regional and international peace and security.\u201d <\/p>\n It comes less than a week after Abu Dhabi accused Iran of firing drones at two tankers operated by a state-owned oil company<\/a> as they sailed through the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s Parliament Speaker and top negotiator visits Iraq<\/p>\n Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf<\/a> arrived in neighboring Iraq Wednesday for a three-day visit where he will meet with Iraqi officials and leaders of an Iran-backed political coalition. <\/p>\n Iran-backed Iraqi militias have launched and claim drone attacks targeting U.S. bases and diplomatic presence both within the country and abroad, piling the pressure on Baghdad which for years has delicately tried to maintain strong ties between both Washington and Tehran. President Donald Trump<\/a> last month welcomed his Iraqi counterpart Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, showering him with praise.<\/p>\n Qalibaf on Wednesday praised the country\u2019s Tehran-backed militias \u2014 which he called the \u201cresistance in Iraq\u201d \u2014 describing them as a \u201ckey component of the country\u2019s national power.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cAfter years of experience in Iraq, the resistance has gone beyond the borders of the two countries and has become an influential force at the regional and global levels,\u201d Qalibaf said. <\/p>\n Iran has long relied on its top allies and proxies, notably the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon and the Yemeni Houthi rebels, in years of Mideast conflict.<\/p>\n