Iran welcomed Thursday (April 29th) the “
change of tone
” of Saudi Arabia, its regional rival, after statements by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman saying he wished “
good
” relations with Tehran.
Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties in 2016 and have accused each other for years of destabilizing the Middle East.
In addition, the Saudi kingdom is an ally of the United States, a country enemy of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Read also: In Iran, settling of scores between Javad Zarif and the Revolutionary Guards
On Tuesday, Mohammed ben Salman nevertheless affirmed that "
Iran is a neighboring country and all we wish is (to have) good and special relations with Iran
".
These remarks represent a change of tone, the crown prince having regularly accused Tehran of fueling regional insecurity.
"
Iran (...) has been a pioneer on the path of regional cooperation and welcomes Saudi Arabia's change of tone
," Iranian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Said Khatibzadeh said in a statement. press release, in response to statements by the Saudi Crown Prince. "
By adopting constructive views based on dialogue, these two important countries of the region and the Islamic world can overcome differences and launch a new chapter of cooperation to achieve peace, stability and regional development
," said he added.
On April 19, an Iraqi government official confirmed a meeting in Baghdad between Iranian and Saudi officials. A Western diplomat then said he had been "
informed in advance of these discussions
", which were presented to him as "
aimed at (...) creating better relations
" between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Riyadh officially denied these discussions in the state press while Tehran did not comment directly, content to say that it "
always welcomed
" the holding of a dialogue with Saudi Arabia. Riyadh and Tehran support opposing sides in conflicts in the region, Yemen and Syria.
