Iranian FM debriefs: Regional diplomatic relations, nuclear agreement

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
20 Mar 2023 12:11

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, in a press brief on Sunday, says he will be meeting his Saudi Arabian counterpart soon.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian speaks during a news conference in Tehran, Iran March 19, 2023. (Reuters)

Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Iranian Foreign Minister, highlighted in a press briefing in Tehran on Sunday that among the primary issues agreed upon between Tehran and Riyadh were concerns aimed at the promotion of peace throughout the region, and stressed that a meeting with his Saudi Arabian counterpart will be held in the "near future".

Amir-Abdollahian noted that Iran had proposed three different locations for the anticipated meeting and stated that “so far, we have agreed [with Saudi Arabia] that technical delegations from both sides will visit embassies and consulates general and make preparation for their practical reopening.”

The two countries had agreed earlier this month in Beijing to restore diplomatic relations. Iran's top diplomat explained that for the past 10 days, Tehran and Riyadh had been exchanging messages through Switzerland.

It is worth noting, that Amir-Abdollahian also commented on efforts to expand relations with regional and neighboring countries, such as relations with the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, which had been promoted to ambassadorial-level relations in 2022.

The Foreign Minister reminded that, at the time, Iran expressed its security concerns, which included the threat posed by "Israel" using UAE soil to target Tehran.

In a similar vein, Oman’s Sultan Haitham bin Tarik came up, according to Amir-Abdollahian, with an initiative to restore relations between Iran and Bahrain a couple of months earlier.

As for the topic of the nuclear agreement, the FM said the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) share joint interests and are on the proper path concerning joint cooperation including continued visits and direct technical talks.

The good relations on that topic would positively impact talks aimed at reviving the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

The Foreign Minister said that the Iranian authorities did not solely bank on the JCPOA rather, Tehran “has used and will use all chances to safeguard [Iran’s] national interests.”