The prevailing quality of Iran-Saudi ties is based on trust and friendship, Iran’s defense minister was quoted by Kuwait news agency (KUNA) as saying Wednesday.
"The atmosphere of trust and friendship between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic is at a desirable level," Ali Shamkhani told reporters late Tuesday after returning from an official visit to the Gulf kingdom.
During the nine-day tour Shamkhani conferred with King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, Crown Prince Abdullah, Defense Minster Prince Sultan and emirs and senior officials of several cities.
He also toured key defense installations and military industrial sites around the country, the agency added.
Shamkhani noted that Tehran has made "significant progress on the road to detente" and building higher level of ties with the regional states. It was the first ever visit to Saudi Arabia by an Iranian defense minister after the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Prince Sultan visited Tehran last year and discussed regional and bilateral issues with Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Riyadh-Tehran ties started improving since the 1997 election victory of President Mohammad Khatami who visited the country last summer.
The Khatami government has announced that cooperation and coordination with the Gulf neighbors is a top foreign policy priority, a move that has been reciprocated by the Saudi leadership.
Wednesday’s press here reported that Saudi foreign minister Prince Saud al Faisal will visit Tehran in mid-June – Albawaba.com
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
