Iran calls for Saudi Arabia to engage in direct talks

Iran has called for Saudi Arabia to engage in direct talks to solve ongoing issues between the two countries without the involvement of a third party, Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh said yesterday.

According to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Khatibzadeh said: “I regret that Riyadh has not yet developed the courage to have dialogue outside the domain of the trans-regional powers. Riyadh still looks to other capitals outside the region.”

The on-going tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

Regarding his country’s response to Saudi’s request, he said: “Saudi Arabia’s position about the nuclear deal is well known and it carried out destructive measures during the negotiations. The nuclear deal has been negotiated and sealed and placed on the shelf.”

“We advise Saudi Arabia to return to regional talks and the region’s arms are open to Saudi Arabia.”

Meanwhile, he said: “The agenda of the meeting [in Vienna] is to lift the cruel US sanctions against Iran and how to fulfill the nuclear deal’s undertakings.”

“All sanctions should be lifted,” he added. “We have only one step which includes lifting of all US sanctions; in return, Iran is ready to suspend its remedial measures and reverse actions.”

The US imposed “unprecedented” sanctions on the Islamic republic in 2018 after President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from the 2015 nuclear deal which saw Iran drawback in nuclear capabilities in return for the easing of economic sanctions previously imposed.

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