Iran open to talks with Saudi Arabia – Foreign Ministry

Tabnak – As the Pakistani prime minister is scheduled to visit Tehran for mediating between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Islamic Republic says it’s ready for talks with the Saudis. This is the latest sign of willingness for a rapprochement expressed by the Iranian and Saudi officials.

The spokesman of Iran's Foreign Ministry says the country is prepared to hold talks with Saudi Arabia, with or without mediation, ahead of a planned visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to Tehran.

"The Islamic Republic has announced that it is always ready, with or without a mediator, to hold talks with its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, so that if there is any misunderstanding, it could be cleared," Abbas Mousavi said on Saturday.

He added that regional countries should prevent events that would allow "third parties and extra-regional countries to exploit this situation."

"The Islamic Republic of Iran's readiness for talks with regional countries, which includes all countries, is an issue which has already been announced," he said, noting that Tehran has made plans and initiatives in this regard. Iran has always praised efforts by different countries that seek to establish security in the region with goodwill, he emphasized.

Asked about reports that the Pakistani prime minister, due to arrive in Iran on Sunday, may try to mediate between Tehran and Riyadh, the Iranian spokesperson said, "Till this moment, the issue of Imran Khan's mediation has not been raised but the latest and most important regional and international developments will be discussed during the visit."

He noted that Khan’s second visit to Iran is in line with the promotion of deep-rooted and cordial relations between the two countries.

In the same vein, Iran's foreign minister says the country welcomes efforts by intermediaries to arrange talks with Saudi Arabia, including those by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan.

"We've always been open to discussing anything with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is our neighbor. We're going to be here together permanently," Mohammad Javad Zarif said in an interview with Turkey's TRT World. "We don't have any choice but to talk to each other, and we have been open to talking to Saudi Arabia either directly or through intermediaries," Zarif noted.

"We've never rejected any intermediary... We've always been open to mediation, and we've always been open to direct talks with our Saudi neighbors," the top diplomat noted when asked about the upcoming visit of Pakistan's Imran Khan to Tehran.

Imran Khan will on Sunday leave Islamabad for Tehran, where he is scheduled to meet Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Sunday. The prime minister will later in the day travel to Riyadh for meetings with the Saudi leadership.

During Khan’s last visit to Riyadh, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman had asked him to help defuse tensions with Iran, Pakistan's leading English-language newspaper Dawn reported.