Tehran, IRNA – A former Iranian diplomat has expressed that Iran’s tension with its neighbors in Central Asia and Caucasus as well as the Persian Gulf littoral states have been going down since the inauguration of the new Iranian government in August.
The New Iranian government has in practice shown its determination to strengthen relations with neighbors, Mohsen Pakaeen told IRNA.
Expansion of ties with neighboring states and efforts to settle disagreements with them are advantages to any country’s foreign policy, the former diplomat noted.
The more the country has friendly and cordial relations based on mutual respect and confidence with its neighbors, the more successful it will be in its foreign policy, he added.
Referring to talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the visit of the UAE officials to Tehran, Pakaeen said the issues discussed help ease tension between Iran and those two Arab states.
Pakaeen, a former advisor to Iran’s foreign ministry, further referred to the issue of Yemen as an important one between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
He went on to say that Tehran expected Riyadh to halt aggression against Yemen and end killing of innocent people there.
Pakaeen expressed hope that Saudi Arabia would follow a peaceful way to stop such an aggression.
Pointing out that Saudi Arabia has already arrived the conclusion that it should enter talks with Iran, Pakaeen said Iran welcomed such talks; though it is not expected that disagreement will be solved in a single day.
However, he underlined, the very fact that both countries are trying to settle disagreements is positive.
Referring to the recent visit of Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the former diplomat believed Abu Dhabi has made grave error in normalizing its relations with Zionist regime of Israel.
Regional countries should not let this fake regime (Israel) be present in the Persian Gulf region, he stressed.
Further, the former diplomat said that Iran’s relations with neighbors should be strategic, noting that interests of all will be served within the framework of cooperation and friendship.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA
