Tehran-Riyadh rapproachment not just tactical agreement: Iran FM
The Iranian FM says relations with neighbors are a priority in the Iranian government's foreign policy.
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Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian meets with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Beijing, China, April 6, 2023 (West Asia News Agency)
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said Iran does not see the rapprochement with Saudi Arabia as a tactical agreement only.
In an interview for Le Figaro in Tehran, Amir-Abdollahian indicated that relations with neighbors are a priority in the Iranian government's foreign policy, pointing out that this is the reason Iran held security negotiations in Iraq and Oman for several months.
According to the Iranian Foreign Minister, during Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Saudi Arabia, a strong proposal was presented at the table, the result of which was the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh.
After seven years of strained diplomatic relations, China brokered an agreement on the restoration of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the reopening of their embassies and diplomatic missions.
"We do not consider this rapprochement as a tactical agreement," the top Iranian diplomat indicated.
When asked if Tehran had received Saudi pledges to invest in Iran, Amir-Abdollahian said, "We talked about this economic issues during my recent meeting with my Saudi counterpart."
"We agree to develop our economic and commercial relations in the months and years to come," the Iranian Foreign Minister said, pointing out that the Saudi government has prioritized the completion of economic projects.
Touching on the war on Yemen, Amir-Abdollahian affirmed that since the start of the crisis, Tehran has never viewed war as a solution.
The top Iranian diplomat said negotiations between Riyadh and Sanaa are underway, stressing that the Yemeni Ansar Allah movement has made significant progress in this regard.
Regarding talks with Western powers on the restoration of the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal, also known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Amir-Abdollahian indicated that Iran held extended conversations in Vienna and the two sides were close to striking an agreement, but the other side made too many demands that hampered the process.
He also affirmed the continuing path of diplomacy and negotiations.
In the same context, the Iranian Foreign Minister said he is in contact with EU Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell, while chief Iranian negotiator Ali Bagheri Kani is communicating with the EU's Deputy Foreign Policy official Enrique Mora on the nuclear file.
Regarding Iran-US relations, Amir-Abdullahian indicated that the exchange of messages between Tehran and Washington continues through mediators in the region and European countries.
