US Defense Secretary Robert Gates arrived in Abu Dhabi on Thursday as Washington sought support from oil-rich Gulf allies to build pressure on Iran over its nuclear program.

The visit came a day after Gates appealed to Saudi leaders to back a US-led drive for crippling sanctions against Iran in a visit to Riyadh.

In his talks in Abu Dhabi, Gates planned to discuss  efforts to tighten pressure on Tehran, including measures against some Iranian firms doing business in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a US defense official told reporters.

-AFP/NOW Lebanon

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