The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has released nine Iranian teachers who were detained on allegations about the validity of their work permits, says an Iranian deputy foreign minister.

Hassan Qashqavi said the nine teachers detained in the Arab kingdom were released on Friday night through efforts by Iran’s Foreign Ministry and the Islamic Republic’s ambassador to the UAE.

At the time of their arrest, the teachers were working in al-Ain, Abu Dhabi.

Emirati officials claimed that the teachers did not have a work permit for employment in al-Ain. They claimed the permit was for employment in Dubai.

On October 11, Iran’s Foreign Ministry summoned the United Arab Emirates’ charge d'affaires in Tehran over the detention of the Iranian teachers.

The charge d’affaires, called upon in the absence of the UAE ambassador to Iran, was asked to swiftly secure the release of the group of Iran’s Ministry of Education teachers, who were detained despite their years of lawful service in an Iranian school there.