Iran Keen to Promote Ties with Regional Countries: FM Zarif
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, in a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-Faisal, emphasized that Tehran is seeking to promote friendly relations with all regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, based on mutual trust.
During the meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Sunday, the Iranian and Saudi ministers explored avenues for the enhancement of bilateral ties between the two neighboring countries.
“The Iranian government believes in cooperation and friendship with all regional countries,” Zarif said, adding that Tehran-Riyadh cooperation should be promoted through stronger mutual trust.
“Today, we have common opportunities and threats and (therefore) the resolution of problems as well as looking to the future would be in favor of the entire region,” he noted.
“We have to neutralize the poison of discord and extremism,” the Iranian foreign minister said.
Saud al-Faisal, for his part, commented on his country’s viewpoint on bilateral relations with Tehran and described Iran as a great nation and civilization.
He also stressed that the two countries need each other and mutual cooperation would serve the interests of Islam.
Iran and Saudi Arabia, as the two key regional powers, have tried in recent years to turn their traditional rivalry into cooperation.
On Monday, Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani in a congratulatory message on Saudi Arabia’s National Day expressed the hope for the expansion of relations between Tehran and Riyadh.
In a Monday message to Saudi King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, President Rouhani congratulated Saudi Arabia’s government and nation on the National Day.
He also hoped for closer ties between the two Muslim countries in light of “unity and rapport” and by tapping into the “deep-rooted religious, cultural and historical commonalities” between the two nations.
