The Islamic Republic of Iran’s priority is (based on) relations with neighbors as well as Arab and Muslim countries and we attach special significance to Saudi Arabia in this regard,” Amir Abdollahian said in a meeting with the new Saudi Ambassador to Iran Abdel Rahman bin Qerman al-Shahri in Tehran on Friday.
He called on Tehran and Riyadh to exchange delegations at all levels, and said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran seeks to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia in all aspects because we believe that the two countries’ high influence and capacities can direct developments in the region and the Muslim world in favor of Muslim nations and thwart plots."
During the meeting, Shahri said Saudi King Abdullah has a positive view to ties with Iran, and added it is necessary for the two countries to boost joint cooperation under the current sensitive situation in the region and in the Muslim world.
He also urged the two countries to pursue the highest level of relations given their great capacities in the Muslim world.
In relevant remarks mid-September, addressing a group of Iranian Hajj officials, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said, “Saudi Arabia is a brotherly and friendly country which shares a great deal of interests with Iran."
“This issue has been highlighted both in a congratulatory letter from Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to me and in my reply letter to him, and both sides are ready to eliminate minor tensions to guarantee the mutual interests and those of the Muslim world,” the Iranian president added.
Also last year, Rouhani underlined Tehran’s policy of good relations with all the neighboring states, and said his government will make more efforts to promote ties with the Persian Gulf littoral states, specially Saudi Arabia.
"The Persian Gulf region and the Arab countries are important strategically. The Persian Gulf littoral states are our neighbors and brothers, but Saudi Arabia in addition to being our brother and neighbor hosts the Muslim Kiblah and we have highly close cultural, historical and regional ties with each other," Rouhani said in June in response to a question about the prospects of the relations between Tehran and Riyadh in his administration.
He said the visit to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage by hundreds of thousands of Iranians each year provides a very proper ground for the two countries to enhance their interactions and cooperation.
Rouhani also pointed out that the first security agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia was endorsed by him in the year 1998, and expressed the hope that his administration would establish excellent ties with Saudi Arabia and other neighboring countries. “The foreign policy priority of (my) government is having friendly and close relations with all neighbors. We will have very close relations with our 15 neighboring countries which will include good neighborliness, friendship and reciprocal relations based on mutual respect and interests,” he added.
