MUNICH (Reuters) - Gulf Arab states have called on the international community to take a stronger position on Yemen and expressed concern about Iranian influence amid the political instability there, a senior State Department official said on Friday after meetings with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

However, no arrangements were made to contact Tehran about the situation during talks between Kerry and ministers and senior officials from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain, the official added.

"There was a feeling that the international community needed to take a stronger position, either through the U.N. or another multilateral organization," the official said on condition of anonymity.

"There was concern about Iranian influence but no one discussed getting in touch with the Iranians," the official said, adding that there was also talk about more Security Council meetings on Yemen.

The official said the UAE reaffirmed its commitment to the coalition conducting air strikes against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq and said there would be "positive news on the flight issues" in coming days.

The UAE suspended flights after concerns about search and rescue capabilities after the downing, and eventual killing, of a Jordanian pilot during a mission in Syria.

(Reporting by Lesley Wroughton; Writing by Doina Chiacu; Editing by Sandra Maler and Mohammad Zargham)