Iran welcomes Saudi foreign minister: Zarif
Iran’s foreign minister says he is ready to welcome his Saudi counterpart Prince Saud al-Faisal Al Saud in the Iranian capital, Tehran.
In a joint press conference with Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja on Sunday in Tehran, Mohammad Javad Zarif said he is also prepared to visit Saudi Arabia.
He added that Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian have had positive talks with Faisal during his recent visit to in the western Saudi city of Jeddah.
“I am also prepared to cooperate with him (Faisal) for boosting our relations and also improving the current situation in the region,” the Iranian foreign minister stated.
He added that Tehran and Riyadh have common interests and face common dangers including extremism and sectarianism in the region.
The meeting between Amir-Abdollahian and Faisal was the first in high-level bilateral talks between the two countries after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani took office last year.
In March, President Rouhani emphasized Tehran’s determination to improve ties with neighboring Muslim countries, saying cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia would be vital for regional security.
The two countries have remained divided on a number of key regional issues, including the Bahraini uprising and the crisis in Syria.