TEHRAN -- An aide to Iran’s
foreign minister has said Iran is open to normalization of ties with Saudi Arabia.
Alireza Enayati added that talks with Saudi Arabia are at their initial stage and “we want good relations with all neighbors”.
Enayati said progress was made in previous rounds of talks with Riyadh, mediated by Iraq. Iran also signed security pacts with some neighbors including Saudi Arabia.
The diplomat also spoke about the Baghdad II Conference in Jordan’s capital Amman, saying there was a feeling of cooperation in the meeting to help Iraq.
Enayati stressed that the meeting between Iran’s Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart was a friendly one.
He added that in the meeting between Amir-Abdollahian and King Abdullah II of Jordan, the prospect of expanding relations between the two countries was discussed.
On the occupying regime of Israel’s threats against Iran, he said the threats do not worry the Islamic Republic and that Tehran is ready to respond to any aggression.
Enayati further pointed to the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA) and said the country welcomes efforts by neighbors to revive the agreement.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said the foreign minister of Iran and the president of Egypt had held positive talks on the sidelines of a regional summit about Iraq.
Amir-Abdollahian and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi held brief talks on the sidelines of the Baghdad II Conference in Amman last month, he added.
The spirit of the talks was positive and the two sides indicated their willingness to hold negotiations, he said.
Kanaani said Iran and Egypt have recently held a series of bilateral negotiations on consular affairs and have agreed to settle the problems relating to the common consular issues.
Pointing to the constant interaction between Iran and Egypt through their interests sections in Tehran and Cairo, the spokesman
said the two countries “have basically no problem for dialogue, meetings, and exchange of views”.
He appreciated Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia al-Sudani for his recent announcement that Baghdad is prepared to help ease the formation of talks between the officials of Iran and Egypt.
The spokesman emphasized that Iran welcomes such “positive initiatives” from Iraq that contribute to the proximity of common views of Iran and other regional countries, especially Egypt.
“Basically, the Islamic Republic of Iran welcomes any positive movement and development leading to the formation of a new atmosphere in the bilateral relations between Iran and Egypt, and would respond positively to any positive initiative in this regard,” he added.