Iran, Saudi Arabia take further steps to bolster relations

TEHERAN — Iran and Saudi Arabia took a further step on Saturday in the restoration of diplomatic ties as Riyadh's top diplomat made a landmark visit to Teheran, semi-official Tasnim News Agency reported.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud held talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian focusing on regional security.

He later met Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, and was due to hand him an invitation "to visit the kingdom soon".

The two countries agreed in March to mend ties and reopen their respective embassies, in a Chinese-brokered deal that has shifted regional relations.

On June 6, Iran reopened its embassy and consulate in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom is expected to reopen its diplomatic mission in Teheran "soon", Faisal said.

"I would like to point out the importance of cooperation between our two countries concerning regional security, especially the security of maritime navigation and waterways," Faisal said at a joint news conference with Amir-Abdollahian.

The Iranian foreign minister told reporters they had discussed ways of bolstering cooperation in the fields of security, economy, tourism and transportation.

Amir-Abdollahian stressed Iran's view that "regional security will be ensured by regional actors only "without external interference.

"We voiced our concern about the continuation of war in Sudan and discussed some regional and international topics of interest," Amir-Abdollahian said.

Mutual respect

"Our relations are based on a clear foundation of full and mutual respect for independence, sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs," Prince Faisal added.

He later met Raisi and they "reviewed bilateral relations and ways to enhance and develop them in various fields", the Saudi foreign ministry said.

Raisi, in a statement from his office, said there were "no obstacles" to developing ties with Muslim countries, stressing that "regional problems and troubles can be dealt with" through cooperation and dialogue "without foreign interference".

He welcomed the resumption of ties between the two "important and influential" countries of the Muslim world, saying that dialogue and interaction between Teheran and Riyadh benefit the two nations and are necessary in line with good neighborliness.

Faisal was the first Saudi foreign minister to visit Iran since 2006.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.

Agencies - Xinhua