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Iran’s FM: Tehran, Manama mulling restoration of diplomatic ties
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remarks in an address to the third Iranian-Arab Dialogue Conference, dubbed “For Cooperation and Interaction”, in Tehran on Sunday.
Back in 2016, Bahrain followed Saudi Arabia’s decision by severing diplomatic relations with Iran, after Iranian protesters, enraged by the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr by the Saudi government, stormed its diplomatic mission in Iran.
The Iranian foreign minister said on Sunday that Iran has already started to enhance its relations with the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman and Kuwait and welcomes Bahrain’s move to release detainees on political charges.
Amir-Abdollahian reiterated Iran’s determination to deepen understanding and convergence among the regional countries, saying the restoration of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia is an indication of such a policy.
Iran and Saudi Arabia enjoy ample capacities and capabilities which can be used to boost cooperation in the region and the Muslim world, he added.
Last year, Iran and Saudi Arabia clinched a chinses-brokered deal to restore diplomatic relations and re-open their embassies and missions. Amir-Abdollahian noted that Iran seriously heeds the promotion of ties with other Persian Gulf littoral states.
“We believe that today we have passed the phase of Iranian-Arab dialogue and have entered into regional dialogue…We are now in the stage of regional cooperation,” Amir-Abdollahian said.