Iranian President warns about ‘conspiracies’ against Iran-Saudi ties

Tehran, July 31 – Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has warned against conspiracies by “enemies and ill-wishers” to sow discord between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He made the remarks on Tuesday at a meeting with Saudi Minister of State Prince Mansour bin Mutaib bin Abdulaziz, who is also the special representative of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, in the Iranian capital Tehran, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement published on the website of the Iranian president’s office.

Pezeshkian said that “the enemies and those wishing ill towards Iran and Saudi Arabia seek to sow discord between the two countries to achieve their illegitimate demands. Iran and Saudi Arabia should foil such conspiracies through vigilance, unity, and solidarity.”

He described as “constructive” his comprehensive phone call on July 17 with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, stressing, “Relations between Tehran and Riyadh have been tied with religious bonds and commonalities in addition to the neighbourly considerations and brotherly and cordial exchanges.”

The Saudi minister, for his part, conveyed the congratulations of the Saudi king and crown prince to Pezeshkian, saying the age-old relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran were founded on the basis of the two countries’ common history and culture as well as neighbourliness and fraternity.

He stressed that the two peoples had been connected to each other by a common religion, Islam.

The Saudi official voiced the willingness of his country’s leaders to expand relations with Iran, adding that the agreement on the resumption of bilateral relations last year was a beginning for treading the path of safeguarding mutual interests, which would also benefit the region and the world.

Pezeshkian on Tuesday was sworn in as Iran’s ninth president in a ceremony in Tehran.