Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says that resuming and strengthening ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia benefits the security of the region, appreciating the Iraqi government for its mediating role in the talks.

The president made the comments at a meeting with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein in Tehran.

“The initiatives offered and measures taken by Iraq to improve cooperation among regional countries free from foreign meddling play an effective role in bolstering regional collaboration," said Raeesi while praising Iraq’s positive role in regional developments.

Iran’s chief executive noted that five rounds of talks between Tehran and Riyadh, which were mediated by Iraq, were positive and useful, stressing that implementation of agreements reached in those talks would pave the way for further promotion of the two sides’ interactions.

The Iraqi foreign minister, for his part, thanked Iran for its uninterrupted support to protect security and stability in his country and for backing the political process to form a new government there.

Hussein went on to add that Baghdad has hosted five rounds of talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran at the level of intelligence and security heads since last April, asserting Iraq will continue its mediation efforts to help restore relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

Riyadh decided to sever diplomatic relations with Iran back in January 2016 after protestors who were enraged by the Saudi execution of top Saudi cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. threw stones at its consulate in Mashhad in Northeastern Iran.

 

By Fatemeh Khoshrou