As Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan embarks on his first visit to Tehran since the two countries agreed to restore their ties in March, Enayati, who is also deputy foreign minister and director-general of Persian Gulf affairs at the Foreign Ministry, explored the implications of this rapprochement in an article published on Saturday.
The text of this note is as follows:
1-The restoration of relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to their natural course, along with the visit of the Saudi foreign minister to Tehran, is another link in the success of the principle of neighborliness. Over the past two years, the neighborhood policy in the Persian Gulf region has led to the development and deepening of relations with neighboring countries, particularly the southern neighbors of Iran and Iraq.
2-One of the foreign policy strategies of the Islamic Republic of Iran since the Islamic Revolution until now has been to strengthen relations with countries in West Asia and the Islamic world. The continuation of this strategy, through the policies and initiatives of the Islamic Republic of Iran in various eras, has been a sign of Iran's determination and willingness to strengthen and deepen cooperation and resolve misunderstandings. Iran's regional policy over the past four decades has been characterized by continuity and relative consistency.
Strengthening dialogue-based and cooperation-based mechanisms, resolving misunderstandings, focusing on commonalities, promoting good neighborliness, and rejecting the interference of extra-regional powers and destabilizing factors in regional security and stability have been among the issues emphasized by the Islamic Republic of Iran over the past few decades.
3-Diplomatic interactions between Iran and Saudi Arabia are in line with the prioritization of relations with neighboring countries, as declared by Iran's current administration, and to seek to actualize the untapped potential in our country's multilateral relations with neighboring countries.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are two important poles in the political arena of the West Asian region and can play a decisive role in the global economic equations with their diverse capacities.
4. The Islamic Republic of Iran hopes that the vast potentials and facilities of the regional countries in the political and economic spheres could create great capacities for the comprehensive development of the region. The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that leaving problems between neighboring countries unresolved and turning them into crises has only served the interests of the trans-regional powers.
5. Returning to cultural and religious commonalities and reviving the Islamic civilization is one of the most prominent features of the social and popular convergence in our region. Only Zionists and their supporters benefit from disputes among the Islamic brothers. The Islamic Republic of Iran always extends the hand of friendship to Islamic countries and groups in the region.
6. The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that regional security and development are inseparable concepts. Thus, Iran considers the security, peace and development of neighboring countries as its own.
The determination, will and seriousness of the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia for dialogue and diplomacy herald a bright horizon for regional cooperation and for achieving inclusive security and development.
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