France sold two military ships to United Arab Emirates

DUBAI - 9 November 2017: France sold two Gowind-class corvettes of state-owned shipbuilder Naval Group to the United Arab Emirates, President Emmanuel Macron told a new conference on Thursday.

The deal also includes an option for two more vessels, the French presidency said in a statement.

The president's office did not disclose financial details.

French arms sales to the Gulf Arab region have surged in recent years as Paris has nurtured new links with Sunni Arab states, which appreciate its tough stance on their Shi'ite rival Iran and similar positions on the region's conflicts.