Iran pursues the policy of mutual respect and promotion of cooperation with Arab countries, an Iranian deputy foreign minister says.Irans policy vis--vis the regional countries, Arab states and particularly Arab neighbors is based on mutual respect and boosting interactions and cooperation, Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab and African Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdullahian told Al-Alam news channel on Sunday.
Commenting on Tehrans relations with Riyadh, Amir-Abdullahian said, Because of its potentialities and its role in regional issues, Saudi Arabia is one of the important countries in the Arab world, the Persian Gulf region and the Muslim world.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are two key countries and main players in the region, and our interaction, cooperation and consultations can help resolve many problems in the region and even in the Muslim world, the Iranian official added.
Commenting on the ongoing unrest in Bahrain, Amir-Abdullahian said Iran favors dialog as the most effective solution to the crisis.
Describing the crisis as an internal problem, the Iranian official said Tehran has offered its assistance to help restore peace and security to the country by finding a political solution and facilitate national dialog to resolve the crisis in a manner which serves the interests of the involved parties.
Since mid-February 2011, thousands of pro-democracy protesters have staged numerous demonstrations in the streets of Bahrain, calling for the Al Khalifa royal family to relinquish power.
Only a month into the protests, troops from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates invaded the country to assist the Bahraini government in its crackdown on peaceful protesters.
According to local sources, scores of people have been killed and hundreds arrested.
By Press TV
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