صراط عشق صراط عشق
Iranian Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian welcomed his Saudi counterpart Faial bin Farhan here where they unveiled plans for the full restoration of relations between the two countries and their cooperation in ensuring regional security.
During a joint press conference, the two diplomats hailed re-establishment of diplomatic relations, which they said would be paramount to improving security across the region.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never equated security with militarism, and considers security to be a comprehensive concept, which includes political, economic, cultural, trade and social dimensions between all the countries of the region,” Amir-Abdollahian said.
The Iranian foreign minister added that he discussed a wide range of issues with his counterpart, which included trade ties and joint investments, in addition to accommodating Saudi tourists and pilgrims who may be interested in visiting Iran.
He talked with his Saudi counterpart about Palestine, the war in Sudan, issues of mutual interest in the international arena, and closer cooperation between Tehran and Riyadh at the regional and international organizations, he said.
For his part, bin Farhan said the Saudi king and crown prince are looking forward to Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi “accepting the invitation to visit the Kingdom soon, God willing”.
He said Saudi Arabia wants enhanced maritime security in the crucial Persian Gulf region.
“I would like to refer to the importance of cooperation between the two countries on regional security, especially the security of maritime navigation… and the importance of cooperation among all regional countries to ensure that it is free of weapons of mass destruction,” Prince Faisal said.
He said “mutual respect, non-interference in the two countries’ internal affairs and commitment
Saudi FM Visits Tehran for Fence-Mending Peace Prevails in the Region
to the United Nations Charter” will be at the centre of bilateral relations going forward, with an eye on securing the interests of both nations.
“I would also like to highlight the two countries’ discussions on cooperation on ensuring maritime security and reducing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” he said.
The Saudi minister said he would also have a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who has just finished a tour of Latin America.
Amir-Abdollahian said security was vital for regional countries. “Iran has never equated security with militarism but sees it as a broad concept including political, cultural, social, economic and trade aspects,” he said.
Amir-Abdollahian and bin Farhan last met in early June in South Africa on the sidelines of a meeting of BRICS, the economic bloc consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
But this is the first visit by a Saudi official to Iran since 2016, when Riyadh broke diplomatic relations after angry protests outside its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad after it executed a Shia religious leader in Saudi Arabia.
Tehran and Riyadh agreed to reopen their embassies within two months as part of a China-brokered deal signed in Beijing on March 10.
Iran reopened its embassy in Riyadh on June 6, followed by its consulate general in Jeddah and its mission to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) a day later.
Tehran has selected Alireza Enayati, a former envoy to Kuwait and a foreign ministry deputy for regional affairs, as its ambassador to the kingdom.
The Iranian embassy was inaugurated by Alireza Bigdeli, a deputy foreign minister for consular affairs, who said “We are witnessing the opening of a new chapter in bilateral and regional relations.”
Unconfirmed reports indicate a Saudi team has been operating out of a luxury hotel in the Iranian capital for weeks as both sides work on officially reopening the embassy buildings.
The Saudi foreign minister’s visit to Tehran comes a week after United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken travelled to Riyadh for high-level talks.
Shortly after, it was confirmed that Iraq has been able to repay a considerable $2.7 billion of its debts to Iran incurred from importing natural gas.
The U.S. had previously blocked the money based on the sanctions it unilaterally imposed on Iran after President Donald Trump’s 2018 withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal.
Part of the money was allocated for the expenses of Iranian pilgrims attending the Hajj in Saudi Arabia, while 80 million euros ($87m) was reportedly sent to the Iranian mission at the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank.
The agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia has begun decreasing tensions across the region.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who was backed by Tehran, was welcomed back into the Arab League last month. Saudi Arabia, along with several other Arab states, had thrown their weight behind anti-government militants in Syria.
