"The Emirates will respect any international sanctions that could be imposed by the UN Security Council on Iran," United Arab Emirates Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed al-Nahayan said on Saturday at a news conference with visiting Cyprus Foreign Minister Markos Kyprianou.

But he nevertheless said he hoped the international community will solve its row with Iran "through diplomatic means  before reaching this phase" of imposing fresh sanctions on Tehran.

His remarks come days only after a visit to Abu Dhabi by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates who said Saudi Arabia and the UAE had signalled a willingness to press China to support tough new sanctions on Iran.

-AFP/NOW Lebanon