Kuwait Conveys Iran’s Message to Saudis, Bahrain

Date: 08 November 2019 - 21:51

News ID: ۷۲۴۴۷

KUWAIT (Dispatches) - Kuwait’s deputy foreign minister Khaled al-Jarallah has said his country conveyed messages from Iran to Saudi Arabia and Bahrain regarding the situation in the Persian Gulf region, and "until now no answers have emerged”.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry had said last month that Iran is prepared to hold talks with regional rival Saudi Arabia, "with or without the help of a mediator”.
In an address to the 74th session of the UN General Assembly in September 25, President Hassan Rouhani said as a steward of maritime security in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz, Iran invites all countries that are affected by developments in the strategic region to join Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE).
The initiative aims to promote peace, stability, progress and prosperity of littoral states and help achieve mutual understanding and establish peaceful and friendly relations among the neighbors, he said.
Recently, Kuwait's Al-Jarida daily quoted an unnamed Iranian Foreign Ministry source as saying that Rouhani had detailed the HOPE initiative in letters sent via Kuwait to Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifah.
Speaking on Monday, Iranian government spokesperson Ali Rabiei confirmed that Tehran had sent letters to the two kingdoms.
"The basis of the letters was regional peace and stability,” he said. "We believe that multiple bilateral ties could be established in the region and that U.S. pressure should not drive a wedge between neighbors.”
Late last month, Foreign Minister Muhammad Javad Zarif said he was ready to visit Saudi Arabia to help reduce tensions between the two sides if suitable conditions existed.
Also officials of Iraq and Pakistan said the Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman had asked the leaders of those two countries to speak with their Iranian counterparts about de-escalation.