Tehran: ‘Dialogue with Riyadh has positive impact on region’

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian announced on Friday that the dialogue between Tehran and Riyadh has “a positive impact on the region and Lebanon.”

This came during a press conference in the Lebanese capital, Beirut, at the end of a three-day visit during which he met several officials.

The Iranian minister added that his country: “Has made openness and communication with the countries of the region in general and neighbouring countries, in particular, a priority in its foreign policy.”

“It is natural that the dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia will have a positive impact on the region and Lebanon,” Abdollahian added.

“In conjunction with the Saudi-Iranian dialogue, we witnessed the launch of the dialogue between Damascus and Riyadh, and an important agreement reached between them on the restoration of relations,” shared Abdollahian.

He welcomed the “strengthening of relations between Syria, the Arab world and the countries of the region,” announcing a plan for Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to visit Syria in the coming period.

On 10 March, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced the resumption of their diplomatic relations and the reopening of embassies within two months, following Chinese-sponsored talks in Beijing.

Relations between Riyadh and Damascus were recently restored after the diplomatic estrangement between the two countries in 2011, as Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan visited Syria on 18 April and met with the head of the regime Bashar Al-Assad. A few days prior, Foreign Minister of the regime Faisal Mekdad visited the city of Jeddah in the Kingdom.

READ: Iran President to visit Syria next week – senior source