Tehran, Jan 25, IRNA � Foreign Ministry spokesman Hossein Jaber Ansari said Iran�s principled policy was to maintain interaction with Turkey.


During his press briefing on Monday, he told Iranian and foreign reporters that Turkey was a big and important neighbor of Iran which has a long history of cooperation and also certain cases of differences and rivalries with Iran.

He said the important point was not to let rivalries turn into hostilities.

Iran�s big priority was to engage in interaction with Turkey, the spokesman added.

On efforts for mediating between Tehran and Riyadh, he said the success of such attempts depends on whether Saudi Arabia changes attitudes or not.

Commenting on the recent visit of Paksitan�s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to Iran and Saudi Arbaia on a mediatory mission, Ansari said Iran made it clear to the ranking Pakistani official that it sees success of such attempts in changing attitudes of Riyadh.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that Pakistan is waiting for response from Iran and Saudi Arabia regarding Islamabad meditation efforts to defuse tensions between Tehran and Riyadh.

According of Radio Pakistan, talking to journalists in London, the prime minister said it was Pakistan�s desire to ease tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran and bridge the gap in their ties.

�We have taken the initiative on our own. Nobody called us to initiate it,� he made it clear.

After meeting Iran President Hassan Rouhani last Tuesday, Nawaz Sharif said that Pakistan and Iran had agreed to appoint 'focal persons' to follow up Islamabad mediation effort to defuse tensions between Tehran and Riyadh.

He said Pakistan would appoint a focal person to carry forward discussions. �Iran has also agreed to appoint its focal person while Saudi Arabia will be requested by Pakistan to do the same.�

Meanwhile, reports say Saudi Arabia Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir has denied the existence of a Pakistani mediation between his country and Iran.

By IRNA