Tehran and Riyadh, as two regional heavyweights, can complement each other in ensuring regional security, stability and development, an Iranian expert has said.
“Iran and Saudi Arabia cannot have an eliminative view of each other,” said Kamal Kharrazi, head of Iran’s Strategic Council for Foreign Relations, quoted by ISNA.
He was addressing a research conference titled “Arabs and Iran” in Doha May 21-23, co-hosted by the Al Jazeera Center for Studies.
Underlining the Islamic Republic’s general policy of unity with Islamic nations, Mr. Kharrazi said that Iran sought to cooperate with countries in the region to help the progress of Western Asia and, on a broader level , of the Muslim world.
In this line, Iran attaches great importance to Saudi Arabia, as the qibla of Muslims and home to holy shrines, as well as a major country in the region, he added.
“Recently, by engaging in five rounds of negotiations with the mediation of the Iraqi government, the two countries have chosen the path of dialogue to resolve their differences,” he said.
Iran and Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran in response to the kingdom’s execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
They also disagree on several regional issues, notably in Yemen where Houthi forces are backed by Tehran, and Riyadh leads a military coalition backing the former government.
Iraq, a neighbor of the two countries, has hosted five rounds of talks over the past year aimed at restoring ties between Tehran and Riyadh.
After the last round in Baghdad, Iraqi officials were increasingly optimistic, citing an imminent sixth session and even going so far as to raise the prospect of a resumption of diplomatic relations.
“We are convinced that reconciliation is close,” which would be beneficial for regional stability, said Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi, who Iraqi diplomats said attended the latest meeting.
Kharrazi also said that Iran sees dialogue as the most effective method to resolve misunderstandings, resolve conflicts and increase areas of agreement.
“Therefore, he believes that the best solution to the security problems in the West Asia and Persian Gulf region is to increase brotherly, but explicit and direct talks between the countries of the region, without the presence and the interference from strangers,” he said.

Links with the Arab world

The foreign relations official then pointed to the crisis in Yemen, political problems in Iraq and the Palestinian cause as three other key issues in Iran’s relations with the Arab world.
He reiterated Iran’s position on Yemen, stressing that the conflict has no military solution.
“A ceasefire, an end to the blockade, providing a platform for Yemeni-Yemeni talks and ultimately the establishment of a government born of the desires of the people have been Iran’s principled position ever since. the first day of the war in Yemen,” he said.
Iran also supports a strong and popular government in Iraq since the security of the two countries is linked, according to Kharrazi.
“We believe that a safe and strong Iraq is in the security interests of Iran and the entire region…we therefore encourage all political parties in Iraq to reach an agreement on the formation of a government,” he said.
On the question of Palestine, Kharrazi regretted the normalization of relations of some Arab countries with Israel at a time when the fight against the crimes of this regime is most essential.
“The Islamic Republic maintains that the presence of the Zionist regime in the Persian Gulf region will not bring security and stability because Israel has no other objective than to create tensions in the region and to divide its states,” did he declare.