Iran Press/Middle East: Referring to the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran to Riyadh, the Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia said: "In this visit, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian will stress the determination of the Islamic Republic of Iran to develop all-round relations with Saudi Arabia by conveying the greetings of Iranian high-ranking officials to the Saudi authorities."
According to ISNA Interview, Alireza Enayati said: "The Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran is going to Riyadh at the invitation of Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Foreign Minister."
Emphasizing that the relations between the two countries have been progressing rapidly in less than six months, Enayati stated: "Now the embassies of the two countries have been reopened, and the ambassadors of the two countries will be stationed in Tehran and Riyadh soon."
Noting that this visit is a very good opportunity to discuss bilateral and multilateral cooperation following Iranian-Saudi foreign ministers' talks in Tehran, Enayati said: "Iran seeks to consolidate the economic sector in bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia."
Stating that a joint committee between Iran and Saudi Arabia is going to be formed, he added that the formation of this committee is a roadmap for relations that can enhance the current limited trade to a much higher level.
Emphasizing the need to choose a constructive path through dialogue, Enayati expressed confidence that the countries of the region will deepen their cooperation and will not pay attention to foreign powers that aim to destroy the relations of the countries of the region.
The Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, is scheduled to have a one-day trip to Riyadh on Thursday, August 17, and on this trip, he will meet and consult with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan.
The visit by the Iranian foreign minister comes after Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Iran in June when he met with Amir-Abdollahian and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. Therefore, the Iranian foreign minister could also meet with the leaders of Saudi Arabia. So far, no official statement has been made as to whom the Iranian foreign minister will meet in Riyadh other than Prince Faisal. But it’s likely that he will also meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman given the positive atmosphere that currently exists in Iran-Saudi relations.
Since March, Iran and Saudi Arabia have been accelerating steps to move their bilateral relations to the next level. They signed a landmark agreement in Beijing in March which ushered in a series of confidence-building steps.
In his June meeting with bin Farhan, the Iranian foreign minister welcomed any move to strengthen economic and trade cooperation between the two countries, calling for launching a joint economic commission to this end and for holding a meeting of the commission in the near future, according to a statement by the Iranian foreign ministry.
The foreign minister of Iran also proposed the formation of joint consultation committees and exchange of expert views in order to bolster political and consular ties as well as relations in such areas as tourism, transit, land, sea and air transportation, energy, environment, fisheries and fighting drug trafficking.
Pointing to the expansion of Tehran-Riyadh relations from merely bilateral to multilateral areas, Alireza Enayati said on Wednesday that through multilateral relations, capacities, and facilities of the countries would be available to each other, enlisting transportation, and transit as areas that multilateral relations can strengthen.
Enayati labeled the establishment of the joint commission as a 'roadmap for the relations between the two countries,' which can boost the ongoing limited trade, and said: "On the part of Iran, the Ministry of Petroleum is responsible for the establishment of the Iranian commission."
He stated that introducing the ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Iran is also on the agenda of the Saudi side. The Iranian ambassador made the remarks in an interview with the Iranian Donyaye Eghtesad daily.
He further said that there are agreements for air and sea transport between the two countries, expressing hope that these agreements will lead to the resumption of flights and the reopening of communication between the ports of the two countries.
High-level documents can facilitate and promote economic cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia, where the private sectors of both sides will find areas for further cooperation, according to the Iranian ambassador.
224
Read More:
Ambr: Tehran-Riyadh agreement marks beginning of a new era in Persian Gulf
Iran reopens its Consulate General in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Iran reopens embassy in Saudi Arabia after seven years
