Iran Proposes Locations To Saudi Arabia For More Talks

Iran International Newsroom
Saudi Minister of State and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, meets the Iranian Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, in Beijing, China, March 10, 2023.
Saudi Minister of State and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, meets the Iranian Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, in Beijing, China, March 10, 2023.

The Iranian government has proposed to Saudi Arabia three locations for a meeting at foreign minister level, since the countries agreed to re-establish ties.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian told a news conference in Tehran his country had agreed to such a meeting, although he did not list the three locations or say when such a meeting might take place.

Separately, an aide to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said that Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz had invited Raisi to visit Riyadh in a letter welcoming the deal agreed on March 10 to restore ties within two months, after years of hostility.

Raisi "welcomed the invitation," Mohammad Jamshidi, political deputy at the president's office, said on Twitter without mentioning a timeframe.

Iran’s regime pressed by domestic unrest and a deep economic crisis seems determined to improve regional ties and reduce its international isolation. Nuclear talks with the United States that could lift crippling sanctions and lessen pressure have stalled with no immediate sign of a breakthrough.

The Saudi government's communications office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment. Saudi state media has not reported on the letter.

The deal between the region's Sunni Muslim and Shiite powers, brokered by China, was announced March 10 after four days of talks in Beijing between top security officials from the two rival Middle Eastern powers.

Amir-Abdollahian also said Tehran was ready for the mutual reopening of embassies.

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric.

Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran was ransacked by protesters in January 2016.
Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran was ransacked by protesters in January 2016.

Amir-Abdollahian said Iran also hoped steps would be made to normalize its ties with Bahrain, a close Saudi ally that followed Riyadh in severing diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016.

Bahrain, a Sunni Muslim-ruled monarchy with a majority Shiite population, has repeatedly accused Iran of fomenting unrest in the island state, which Tehran denies.

"An agreement was reached two months ago for Iranian and Bahraini technical delegations to visit the embassies of the two countries. We hope that some obstacles between Iran and Bahrain will be removed, and we will take basic steps to reopen the embassies," Amir-Abdollahian said.

Bahrain's government communications office did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.

Bahrain, together with other Gulf Arab states, welcomed the agreement between Riyadh and Tehran to restore relations.

Iran’s national security chief Ali Shamkhani, an old IRGC hand, visited the United Arab Emirates Thursday and met with members of its top leadership. However so far, there is no concrete information about details of the discussions in the UAE and Iranian media.

IRNA, the official Iranian government news agency, said Shamkhani’s visit showed that once Tehran and Riyadh embark on rapprochement, Saudi allies would follow and “foreign influence” will be reduced in the region, implicitly referring to the United States.

Shamkhani met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and ruler of Dubai and other top officials. “Their talks covered regional and international issues of mutual concern, and the importance of working to support peace and co-operation in the region to enable progress and prosperity for its people,” state news agency Wam reported.

With reporting by Reuters