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Resuming relations with Saudi Arabia is possible

reporter 1222 — Tue, 03 Dec 2019 12:36:20 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran has no problem with developing relations with neighboring countries and resuming relations with Saudi Arabia, and all countries must be together in order to provide security and stability in the region.

He made the remarks in his meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi on Tuesday.

Stating that meeting with Omani officials is always a great opportunity for resuming friendly relations with Saudi Arabia, he said, “Iran attaches great importance to the development of relations and cooperation with its neighbors, particularly Oman.”

Iranian President noted, “Fortunately there has been good momentum in economic relations between Iran and Oman”, adding, “We hope that good steps will be taken to develop and strengthen Tehran-Muscat relations and cooperation by holding the 18th Joint Commission on Cooperation between the two countries.”

President Rouhani stressed the importance of expanding business relations, enhancing communication between the two countries’ businessmen, trying to accelerate the implementation of mutual agreements and facilitating banking relations between the two countries, highlighting, “Oman could serve as a hub for Iranian trade in the region.”

Pointing to the necessity of further development of Oman-Iran relations in various fields, including scientific and cultural, people-to-people relations, shipping, and tourism, he said, “The two countries’ economic activists and investors can develop partnerships using their capacities and capabilities.”

Emphasizing Iran believes that regional countries should play an active role in ensuring the security of the region and has presented Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE) in this regard, Rouhani noted, “We must ensure the security of the region, especially in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz with the expansion of cooperation, and not allow foreigners to interfere.”

Iranian President said that the Yemen crisis is one of the major problems in the region, adding, “The [Saudi-waged] Yemeni war has achieved nothing but destruction, killing people, creating hatred between the two countries and threatening the territorial integrity of Yemen.”

“Unfortunately, Europe and the US, despite their apparent comments, are not interested in making peace in Yemen because they have been able to sell plenty of weapons,” he continued.

Emphasizing there is no other way than brotherhood and friendship between nations and countries in the region, Rouhani said, “We should all strive to end the war in Yemen as soon as possible and bring stability and security to this country in the framework of Yemen peace talks.”

President Rouhani also expressed hope that Iran’s and Oman’s peace efforts will lead to peace, stability, and security in the region and the development of friendship and brotherhood among nations.

He said, “We believe that we should work together to solve the region’s problems”, adding, “The policies of the Saudi government in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon have made no progress to them, and we hope that the Saudi authorities will change their policy.”

Pointing to the Islamic Republic of Iran’s view of developing relations with its neighbors and resuming relations with Saudi Arabia, Iranian president said, “We believe that all regional countries must stand together in order to provide security and stability in the region.”

Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi, for his part, considered the development of relations and cooperation between Iran and Oman in the interests of all countries in the region, saying, “Oman has a special interest in developing relations and cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

Referring to the 18th Joint Commission on Cooperation between Iran and Oman in the presence of economic activists and representatives of the private sector of both countries, he noted, “The increasing strengthening of relations and mutual cooperation will be to the satisfaction of both nations.”

Expressing that Iran and Oman share common views and positions on many regional and international issues, bin Alawi highlighted, “Iran’s peace initiative for the Persian Gulf known as the Hormuz Peace Endeavor (HOPE) will certainly benefit everyone and promote stability and security in the region.”

Noting that Iran and Oman can provide appropriate solutions to regional problems, especially in Yemen, by developing cooperation, Omani foreign minister said, “Fortunately, there are promising signs for the Yemen crisis to be solved, and Iran will certainly not hesitate to do so in view of its sensitive position and responsibility in the region.”

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Ready to visit Riyadh to reduce regional tension; Zarif says

reporter 1222 — Tue, 22 Oct 2019 04:55:09 +0000

TEHRAN (Iran News) – Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif has said he is ready to visit Riyadh to resolve disputes with Saudi Arabia if conditions are ripe.

“Iran welcomes any initiative to reduce regional tension, and we are ready to cooperate with any step to end the war in Yemen,” Zarif said on Monday, News1 reported.

“Iran will always stand by the Yemeni people, and we believe that ending the war will help the Yemeni people at first glance,” he added.

He pointed out that “contacts are continuing with Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on the situation in Yemen,” reiterating Iran’s readiness to help end the war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and a coalition of its vassal states launched the war on Yemen in March 2015 in an attempt to reinstall the Riyadh-backed former regime of Mansour Hadi and eliminate the Houthi Ansarullah movement.

The Western-backed military aggression, coupled with a naval blockade, has destroyed the country’s infrastructure and led to a massive humanitarian crisis.

On September 14, Yemeni armed forces conducted a large-scale operation against two Aramco installations, knocking out half of Saudi Arabia’s oil production.

The Yemeni Houthi Ansarullah movement took responsibility for the attacks and stressed that they came in response to the Saudi-led war on their country. However, Riyadh and Washington — the main sponsor of the war on Yemen — pointed the finger at Iran, without providing any evidence.

Iran, however, flatly rejected the allegations.

In the meantime, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said last week that Iran will be ready to act as a mediator on the issue of Yemen if Saudi Arabia accepts a political solution.

“If Saudis accept the political solution, Iran will mediate on the Yemen issue. However, the United States imagines that the time to stop milking Saudi Arabia has not come yet,” Larijani said during a meeting with Bundestag Vice President Claudia Roth on the sidelines of 41st summit of the Inter-Parliamentary Union in Belgrade on Tuesday.

Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has also said that ending the war in Yemen will have positive effects on the Middle East.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran presented a four-point plan to end the war in Yemen a long time ago and if this war ends in a right way, it can have positive effects in the region,” the Leader said on October 13, during a meeting with visiting Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan. The meeting was held to talk about how to reduce regional tension.

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War with Iran would collapse global economy: Bin Salman

reporter 1222 — Tue, 01 Oct 2019 06:57:01 +0000

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told the US-based CBS program “60 Minutes” that crude prices could spike to “unimaginably high numbers” in case of an armed conflict, Iran News quotes Al-Jazeera report.

“The region represents about 30 percent of the world’s energy supplies, about 20 percent of global trade passages, about four percent of the world GDP (gross domestic product),” the crown prince, also known as MBS, said.

“Imagine all of these three things stop. This means a total collapse of the global economy, and not just Saudi Arabia or the Middle East countries.”

Analysts say Saudi Arabia is using Iran as a scapegoat for its repeated failures in the region, especially its ill-fated war against Yemenis.

MBS urged the world to take “strong and firm action to deter Iran” and prevent the situation from escalating further.

MBS also said that he agreed with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s conclusion that the September 14 attacks on the kingdom’s oil facilities were an act of war by Iran.

The United States, European powers and Saudi Arabia have also blamed the attacks on Iran.

Tehran has strongly refuted any involvement, demanding proof, while Yemen’s Ansarullah has claimed responsibility.

In view of the incidents happening in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman, the Iranian president has proposed the “Hormuz Peace Endeavor”, also called HOPE, to allay security concerns in the region with the involvement of all littoral states.

The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced on Monday that eight countries have been invited to join the initiative.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned world leaders on Wednesday at the UN General Assembly that “the Persian Gulf region is on the edge of collapse, as a single blunder can fuel a big fire.”

In the same interview, MBS, however, said that he preferred a peaceful resolution because it “is much better than the military one.”

He said that US President Donald Trump should meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to craft a new deal on Tehran’s nuclear program and influence across the Middle East.

In a possible sign of diplomacy, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi announced that he would visit Tehran soon, in an effort to reduce tension in the region, according to Iraqi media.

“Abdul Mahdi, who has arrived from Saudi Arabia wants to invite Saudi Crown Prince bin Salman and the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani to Baghdad for a meeting,” he was quoted as saying.

Earlier, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan said that he was also making an effort to mediate between Tehran and Riyadh. He held talks with Saudi Arabia’s leaders in Riyadh, as well as with Rouhani at the United Nations.

In the 60 Minutes program, the crown prince also denied ordering the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018.

“Absolutely not,” when asked if he ordered the murder. But he said he took full responsibility, “since it was committed by individuals working for the Saudi government.”

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