World powers and regional rivals met in Vienna on Friday for talks on a political solution to the Syrian civil war.
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Islamic State has seized swathes of eastern Syria and northern Iraq and proclaimed a caliphate to rule all Muslims.
Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia, the Gulf region’s powerhouses, have long had an uneasy relationship and are backing opposing sides in conflicts in Syria and Yemen.
Abdollahian’s remarks came hours after Iranian President Hassan Rouhani criticized Saudi Arabian “intrusions” in the Middle East. “If Saudi Arabia’s vision on the big regional questions confronts reality and it stops its intrusions, we can solve many problems, especially in our relations”, Rouhani said during a diplomatic gathering in Tehran on Monday, according to Tribune.
Iran supports the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and while it doesn’t officially send troops to Syria, it has deployed military “advisors” to the war-torn country.
With Moscow fighting on Assad’s behalf, Western countries that have called for his removal from power appear to have accepted that he cannot be forced out on the battlefield. It helped Iraqi forces rescue hostages last week, and Master Sgt. Joshua Wheeler was killed, the first U.S. combat death in that country since 2011.
For better or worse, Reuters portrays these Syria talks as a result of the Iranian nuclear deal, which gave Iran enough clout to overcome longstanding Saudi objections to accept Iran’s presence at Syria talks.
In his message Tuesday, Iran;s resident said the mass participation of the Turkish people in the “successfully held” election with a view to forming a strong and cohesive government indicated the nation’s determination to design a bright future.
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He further touched upon the important visits of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to regional countries immediately following the recent breakthrough in nuclear talks between Tehran and the P5+1, saying they testify that “Iran’s foreign policy is to improve regional relations within the framework of maintaining stability and security”.
