Saudi Arabia, Iran shoulder heavy responsibility: official
Sudan-Iran, Politics, 7/2/2007

Saudi Arabia and Iran shoulder a heavy responsibility to establish security in the Middle East region, a Saudi official said Sunday.

Assistant Minister of Defense and Aviation Prince Khaled bin Sultan made the remark in a meeting in Riyadh with Iran's Ambassador to Riyadh Mohammad Hosseini.

More political understanding between Iranian and Saudi officials would help them bring their goals close to each other, he said.

He stressed importance of disarming enemies of Islam and settling regional crises through wisdom and self-restraint.

Under circumstances that the region faces tension, there are parties who intend to use the opportunity to stir regional balance and security by their evil measures, the Saudi official said.

Hosseini, for his part, said consolidation of Tehran-Riyadh ties is a must to reinforce security and stability in the region.

"Iran and Saudi Arabia, as two leading states, have had special deep-rooted ties but persona non grata strive to encourage misunderstanding, thus preparing the ground for sedition and crisis in the region," he said.

"Campaign against Islam and fanning crisis and insecurity in the region are enemies' main goals," he added.

It is possible to establish security and development in the region just through expansion of regional cooperation and withdrawal of foreigners, the envoy stated.

"Foreigners just fan flames of sedition and seek their own illegitimate interests through escalation of tension and insecurity," Hosseini said.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Prince Turki bin Mohammad said on Saturday that Tehran and Riyadh play a very sensitive and vital role in the region.

Bin Mohammad was speaking to Iran's Ambassador Hosseini. Currently, the region is faced with very serious and dangerous challenges, he said, adding continuation of such a trend would entail adverse consequences for the region and the Islamic world.

He said Saudi foreign policy is based on non-interference in internal affairs of other countries and making efforts to establish stability and security in the region.

The Saudi official stressed Iran's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes based on international regulations and called for settlement of ongoing dispute over the nuclear case through political and diplomatic ways.

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