Iran FM underlines need for bilats, talks about upcoming stage

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
2 Apr 2023 23:15
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A call between the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers sees the two top diplomats discussing various issues.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan speaks during a news conference in Vienna, Austria, June 22, 2021 (AP)

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on Sunday received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in which the two parties agreed to a date for a meeting.

The state-run Saudi news agency SPA said the two ministers discussed several issues that are of interest to both countries, in addition to discussing the upcoming steps between them in light of the latest tripartite agreement, struck between them.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian revealed earlier on Sunday that he would hold talks with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan, by phone, within the next 48 hours, to finalize the date and place of the meeting between them.

Amir-Abdollahian also responded to speculation about the date and place of his meeting with his Saudi counterpart in a press statement issued Saturday on the sidelines of participation in the national celebration of the flag, and the commemoration of April 1 (the day of voting for the founding of the Islamic Republic in 1979) by saying: "I will speak and consult with my Saudi counterpart over the next 48 hours, during which we will agree on a time and place for our meeting."

After seven years of strained ties, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore diplomatic relations and re-open their embassies series of talks brokered in Beijing, China under the auspices of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Iranian-Saudi ties had soured after Saudi Arabia severed ties with Tehran in January 2016 following the Kingdom's execution of prominent human rights activist and outspoken Riyadh critic Sheikh Nimr Baqir Al-Nimr.

Simultaneously, several Arab countries reflected their views on the re-establishment of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia most notably the UAE, Egypt, and Qatar. The countries touched on the subject by expressing hope for the future.

The Saudi leadership expressed hope that the positive discussion with Iran will continue in light of the Chinese-sponsored agreement.