Saudi - Iran discuss relations
Saudi Arabia-Iran, Politics, 4/16/2007

Iran's Ambassador to Saudi Arabia said today in Saudi Arabia said that ties between Tehran and Riyadh can be an appropriate model for the Islamic world.

The ambassador made the remark in a meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal.

"The two big countries of Iran and Saudi Arabia enjoy great potentials to settle the ongoing crises in the Middle East and the World of Islam," Hosseini said.

He added that expansion of mutual ties in political, economic and cultural fields can establish tranquility both in the region and in the Islamic world.

"There is no obstacle in the way of expansion of Tehran-Riyadh bilateral cooperation," the Iranian envoy said.

He further stressed the importance of continued consultation between the two countries' officials at regional and international levels.

The Saudi minister said promotion of relations with Iran was an unchanged principle in his country's foreign policy. Pointing to consultations held between the Iranian and Saudi officials during the past few months, al-Faisal expressed confidence the consultations would benefit the region and the Islamic world.

Meantime, the Iranian Majlis Research Center yesterday announced that improved relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia will give more power to Iran to bargain with the West, including the US.

According to the Information Department of the center, political research office of the center conducted a study on relations between the two neighboring countries, noting that given the removal of Saudi concerns on some issues, Iran will have the upper hand in world diplomatic arena and secure its national interests.

Underlining the need for bolstering Tehran-Jeddah relations, the center called for enhancing confidence-building between the two Islamic nations since they are able to expedite the solution of the problems of the Islamic world as well as mutual differences.

The center has also put forward suggestions to reduce Saudi concerns about Iran, noting that to achieve the goal, Tehran can propose to Jeddah to expand mutual cooperation and investment in various fields such as nuclear activities and missile projects.

The center also suggested studies on bilateral defense agreements in the field of security and military cooperation, greater role of organizations and centers affiliated to Islamic solidarity to reduce religious tensions, increase in interactions among scholars, academics and the educated of the two friendly countries with the focus on religious and cultural issues, as some of the ways of reducing Saudi concerns about Iran.

The need for adopting common stance towards political and security threats as well as expanding cooperation in confronting terrorist groups in particular Al-Qaeda were among other suggestions of the center to bring Iran and Saudi Arabia closer in regional and international affairs.

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