TEHRAN, Oct 1 (NNN-IRNA) – Iran announced that, it welcomes dialogue with Saudi Arabia, to settle mutual issues, and talks with regional states, to set up a coalition for the security of the region.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, Abbas Mousavi, said, “There has always been a chance to solve these problems (with Saudi Arabia) through dialogue.”
Iran welcomes any mediatory attempt to calm tensions with Saudi Arabia, Mousavi said, expressing hope that the Saudi side is also “ready” for alleviating tensions.
Besides, Iran welcomes the mediatory attempts by the Iraqi Prime Minister, Adel Abdul Mahdi, he said.
Abdul Mahdi said, after his visit to Saudi Arabia, that he was optimistic about preventing a regional war.
On Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, said, he would prefer a political and peaceful solution to a military one with Iran.
Riyadh blamed Tehran for attacks on Saudi oil fields, the allegations which have been denied by Iran.
On Monday, spokesman for the Iranian government, Ali Rabiee, confirmed that Saudi leaders have sent messages to Iran’s president, through a head of a third state for negotiations on mutual issues.
“We must see signs of it (Saudi’s goodwill) without any ambiguity, and the first sign of it should be a halt of aggression against Yemen and put an end to the massacre of Yemenis,” Rabiee told reporters.
Iran would welcome a change in Saudi behaviour, Rabiee said, adding that, “if they genuinely seek to change their behaviour, we would welcome that.”
Iran still endorses cease-fire as the solution to the Yemeni conflict and will do its utmost to contribute to this end, he pointed out.
On the same day, Rabiee also announced Iran’s readiness for talks on a regional coalition for establishment of peace. He was referring to the recent proposal by the Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani, who urged regional states to converge together and solve their problems, without interference of the cross-regional powers.
Last week, Rouhani said, Iran’s coalition initiative is aimed at securing the Strait of Hormuz and establishing regional peace and cooperation.
“We believe that the solution for (tensions in) the region will come from within the region,” he said.
“Those coming from outside the region will never bring peace or security,” he said, adding that, “the Americans have been in the region since 2001 … and failed to establish security anywhere in the region.”– NNN-IRNA