Iran welcomes Saudi Arabia ‘positive’ position on restoring relations

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed, on Monday, the Saudi “positive” position towards restoring relations with Tehran.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Nasser Kanaani, said in a press conference, Monday: “We heard positive positions from Saudi officials, and we appreciate the positive positions and consider them a positive indicator.”

“We welcome the process of strengthening and raising the level of relations with neighbouring countries and countries in the region, and we will warmly praise the hand extended to us for friendship, and we will certainly welcome any positive initiative and improvement of relations,” he added.

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Earlier this month, Iranian Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ali Reza Enayati, revealed that his country had signed security agreements with some neighbouring countries, including Saudi Arabia, indicating that Tehran’s hand is extended for dialogue with Riyadh.

On 21 December, Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, said that his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, has informed him of “the Kingdom’s willingness to continue dialogue with Iran”.

Baghdad has mediated direct negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Iran since April 2021, and the fifth round of talks was held in April last year.

On 23 July, 2022, Iraqi Foreign Minister, Fouad Hussein, announced his country’s intention to host a public meeting between the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Diplomatic relations between the two sides were severed in early January 2016, following the storming by protesters of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and its Consulate in Mashhad.

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