Saudi Arabia FM: Our hands remain outstretched to Iran
A meeting is to be held soon in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, where regional and bilateral issues ranging from the Yemeni crisis to the opening of embassies will be discussed.
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Are Saudi Arabia-Iran relations back on track?
On Tuesday, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister commented on the new round of talks the Kindgom held with Iran. According to Reuters, Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud stated that his “country’s hands remain outstretched to Iran."
Furthermore, in a session titled "Toward a New Security Policy in the Middle East" at the World Davos Forum, the Saudi Minister claimed that the Kingdom, along with the rest of the GCC countries, seeks to direct its efforts toward security and cooperation, and thus, remains open to talks with all countries, Iran included.
The Saudi diplomat continued by stating that cooperation is a two-way street and that Iran needs to do its part as well and make a decision to “cooperate, strengthen and formulate a prosperous future." Previously, talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia were suspended.
The Saudi diplomat also mentioned the importance of the international negotiations with Tehran to revive the nuclear agreement, emphasizing that this agreement, if reached, is something positive.
Iran suspended talks with Saudi Arabia following Riyadh's mass execution of 81 people, including 41 from the peace protest movement in Al-Ahsa and Qatif, seven Yemenis, and one Syrian, claiming that they were "involved in terrorist cases inside the Kingdom."
Saudi opposition in the Arabian Peninsula had specified that the Kingdom committed a massacre against dozens of detainees, adding that the regime pursues its methodology of committing more crimes against innocent people.
A member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Jawad Karimi Quddusi, had announced that "preliminary agreements have been reached between Tehran and Riyadh."
Quddusi confirmed that the two countries are set to meet again in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, soon where regional and bilateral issues ranging from the Yemeni crisis to the opening of embassies will be discussed.
