Britain supports Iran-Saudi security pact

ABU DHABI — Britain has expressed support of Iran's controversial security pact with Saudi Arabia.

British officials said they were confident that such an accord would not reduce the role of Britain and the United States in the Gulf.

"We respect the rights of countries to enter into accords and such agreements will not reduce the role of the U.S. and UK [United Kingdom] in the region." British Foreign Office Minister Brian Wilson said.

Wilson was attending a dialogue between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council in Manama this week.

Britain is regarded as a leading arms exporter to GCC nations.

For his part, Saudi Interior Minister Prince Nayef Bin Abdul Aziz played down any fallout with the United Arab Emirates in wake of the Iranian accord. The UAE has been engaged in a longtime dispute with Teheran over three islands occupied by Iran.