Saudi FM says Riyadh ready to continue dialog with Iran: Amir-Abdollahian

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian has held a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, with the latter expressing Riyadh’s readiness to continue dialog with Tehran, amid efforts by the two neighbors to fix their troubled ties.

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian announced in a tweet, posted in Arabic language, that the meeting took place on the sidelines of the Baghdad II Conference in Jordan.

"I attended the Baghdad-2 conference in Jordan to reaffirm our support for Iraq, and on the sidelines of the meeting I also had the opportunity to meet with some of my counterparts, including the foreign ministers of Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi minister assured me of his country's readiness to continue dialog with Iran," the top Iranian diplomat wrote in his tweet.

Iran and Saudi Arabia are among the countries attending the conference in Jordan, which was organized by France and Iraq with the aim of providing a forum for discussing the region's problems.

Prince Faisal has already said his country will continue to extend its hand to Iran for a "positive relationship" that serves the stability of the region.

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• Saudi FM says Riyadh extends hand towards Iran for positive relationship, as Tehran warns of interference

Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after Iranian protesters, enraged by the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr by the Saudi regime, stormed its embassy in Tehran.

The kingdom then pursued a confrontational foreign policy toward the Islamic Republic, especially during the administration of former US president Donald Trump, with whom the Saudi rulers shared close ties.

Saudi Arabia appears to have recently changed its antagonistic course, showing willingness through diplomatic channels and third parties to mend fences with Tehran and resume bilateral relations.

The two sides have already held several rounds of tension-easing negotiations in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad since last April.

Back in July, Amir-Abdollahian lauded the “constructive” role played by Iraq in advancing the regional dialogue and said there has been “progress” in the last five rounds of talks with Saudi Arabia.

The progress of rapprochement was, however, overshadowed as Iran has warned Saudi Arabia that its media campaign aimed at stoking tensions in the recent riots in the country will backfire on the Riyadh regime.

On October 17, the chief commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami gave Saudi Arabia an ultimatum, cautioning it against interfering in Iran’s internal affairs through the kingdom's news media outlets that seek to lead the Iranian youths astray.

He stressed the importance of maintaining national security as a principled policy of Iran and reminded the neighbors that the Islamic Republic pursues the policy of friendship and fraternity as long as the enemies hatch no plot against it.

Saudi-sponsored media have stepped up their rhetoric against Iran amid the recent protests and deadly riots in the country following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody.

Iranians have held protests over the passing of Amini. However, some extremist elements derailed the protests and incited violence against security forces. Western-backed media outlets have also encouraged violence. Iran says it will not allow interference in its internal affairs.

The foreign-backed violent riots have also claimed dozens of lives from both security forces and ordinary people as the Western media and Persian-language news networks continue to provoke riots in Iran.

Press TV’s website can also be accessed at the following alternate addresses:

www.presstv.co.uk