Iran has protested to the United Arab Emirates over what it described as irresponsible remarks about Iran by a minister from the UAE.

The information minister, Sheikh Abdullah ibn Zayed al-Nahayan, said in a BBC interview that Iran represented a greater threat to the Gulf region than Iraq.

He said it continued to occupy islands belonging to the Emirates and that it wanted to develop nuclear weapons.

The Iranian news agency said the UAE charge d'affaires was summoned to the foreign ministry in Teheran to be told of Iran's surprise and disappointment over the remarks, which it said could harm relations between the two countries.

Talks between Iran and the UAE in May failed to resolve their dispute over ownership of three islands in the Gulf.