TEHRAN – Iranian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Marzieh Afkham said on Tuesday that Saudi Arabia has adopted a “win-lose” approach toward the developments in the Mideast region and this “destructive approach” will lead to nowhere.

She made the remarks in response to Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir’s comments in a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Riyadh on Friday during which he said that Iran should stop supporting Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Jubeir also said that it was difficult to envision a role for Iran in finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis due to Tehran’s support for the Syrian government.

Afkham described the Saudi official’s comments as “disgraceful” and “beyond diplomatic norms”.

She added that the nuclear talks between Iran and the 5+1 group (the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany) could help Saudi Arabia abandon its “illogical” and “monopolistic” approaches. However, Afkham said some countries do not have a good understanding of the “constructive developments” in the region.

She also said that the Saudi Arabian foreign minister is not “qualified” to air comments on Iran’s role in the region.


NA/PA