Moscow’s ambassador to Riyadh has said that Russia is prepared to help defuse tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

In an interview with Sputnik published on Tuesday, Oleg Ozerov said that the fallout of strained relations between Tehran and Riyadh impacts the stability of the Middle East.

“The issue of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia is very complex, it has many aspects and levels, there is a historic aspect, an ideological one and there are things linked to the differing interpretations of Islam, confessional ones… The issue is so multifaceted that there is no one magic crystal that will show the whole truth, no magic wand that would resolve all these problems. It is evident that in this case Russia is a side that can undertake efforts to lower the degree of tension between the two countries,” Ozerov said.

He added, “Of course, the severely tense situation between them cannot but have an impact on regional stability, on everything that happens in the region. Russia, as a country that is in principle in favor of restoring stability to the Middle East, of course, cannot help being concerned by these instances of confrontation between the two countries.”

Iran and Saudi Arabia have severed diplomatic relations since January after Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic posts in Tehran and Mashhad were stormed by angry demonstrators after execution of a prominent Shiite cleric by Riyadh.