UAE hands Iranian 10-year sentence over sanctions breach

The unnamed man was found guilty of "attempting to export a power generator to Iran for its nuclear programme, in breach of international sanctions," state news agency WAM reported, according to the appeals court in Abu Dhabi.

Nuclear-related international sanctions on Iran were lifted following a landmark deal between Tehran and major powers in 2015, however the court failed to provide details on when the alleged offence took place.

The influence of Iran in the Middle East remains a major concern for Gulf countries, including the UAE, despite its longstanding export trade with the Islamic Republic.

In 2015, Iran’s import from the GCC state amounted to some $37 billion – the bulk of which were exports from the UAE, according to Gulf News.

In January, sanctions against Iran were eased as part of a historic nuclear deal, however international businesses have shown caution when dealing with the controversial country.

IMF forecast suggests the UAE’s economy is likely to witness a $13 billion increase due to increasing bilateral trade with Iran.

Officials in Washington said last week that Iran had to date complied with the nuclear deal, in a move that could pave the way for international companies to begin doing business with Tehran.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has called for a full review of the 2015 deal signed between the US and Iran, in addition to five other states, as it remains suspicious of the agreement. 

Tehran has sought to ramp up crude production to reduce its market deficit since the sanctions were lifted.