Iran Prepared to Enhance Comprehensive Cooperation with Saudi Arabia: President Pezeshkian
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Synopsis
On April 18, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian met with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, advocating for expanded cooperation across various sectors, emphasizing a united front in addressing regional challenges without foreign intervention.
Key Takeaways
- Iran and Saudi Arabia seek to strengthen ties.
- Joint working groups established for cooperation.
- Discussions on regional stability and security.
- Support for Iran's nuclear negotiations with the US.
- Resumption of diplomatic relations announced in April 2023.
Tehran, April 18 (NationPress) Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian engaged with visiting Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, advocating for enhanced cooperation between their nations across all sectors.
Pezeshkian indicated on Thursday that Iran is entirely ready to bolster its ties with Saudi Arabia in various domains and extend this bilateral collaboration to other Islamic nations, as per a statement shared on his office's website.
He also expressed support for the formation of collaborative working groups in diverse political, economic, and security fields, stressing that Iran and Saudi Arabia could work together to address numerous regional issues independently, without foreign interference, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
The Saudi Defence Minister characterized his discussions with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Mohammad Baqeri earlier on Thursday as "very beneficial, affirmative, and constructive".
He identified Iran and Saudi Arabia as "two fundamental pillars of the region," asserting that their robust relationship could serve as an effective model for unity and collaboration within the Muslim community.
"We deliberated on our bilateral connections and subjects of common interest," the Saudi Defence Minister noted in a post on X.
According to Iranian state media, Khamenei remarked during the meeting on Thursday, "Our conviction is that the relationship between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia is advantageous for both nations."
Baqeri commented that ties between the Saudi and Iranian military forces have been strengthening since the Beijing agreement, as per Iranian state media.
Saudi Arabia has shown support for Iran's nuclear negotiations with the US, affirming its endorsement of initiatives to resolve regional and international conflicts.
In a 2023 agreement facilitated by China, Iran and Saudi Arabia settled to restore relations after years of animosity that had jeopardized stability and security in the Gulf region and exacerbated conflicts across the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.
The visit of the Saudi Defence Minister coincided with the presence of the UN nuclear watchdog chief, Rafael Grossi, in Iran, who cautioned that the US and Iran were running short on time to finalize a deal.
Delegations from Iran and the US are scheduled to convene in Rome on Saturday for a second round of Omani-mediated discussions, following the highest-level conversations between the longtime adversaries since former US President Donald Trump exited a significant nuclear agreement during his first term in 2018.
Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has reinstated his so-called "maximum pressure" strategy, enforcing harsh economic sanctions against Iran and threatening military action should Tehran fail to comply with a deal.
Iran and Saudi Arabia officially announced the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect in April 2023.
Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 following attacks on Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran.
The assaults occurred in reaction to Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shia cleric.
