TEHRAN – Senior Iranian lawmaker Alaeddin Boroujerdi has said that the preparations for talks between Tehran and Riyadh can be made if Saudi Arabia withdrew its troops from Bahrain.

Boroujerdi made the remarks in an interview with the Mehr News Agency on Wednesday in response to Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal’s recent remarks, in which he expressed Riyadh’s interest in holding negotiations with Tehran and said that Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has been invited to make a trip to Saudi Arabia. 

Boroujerdi, who is the chairman of the Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, said Iran had no problem with holding talks with Saudi Arabia before the kingdom dispatched troops to Bahrain. 

He added, “We hope that Saudi Arabian officials will exit from Bahrain as soon as possible so that the ground can be prepared for negotiations between the officials of the two countries.” 

During a joint press conference with British Foreign Secretary William Hague in Jeddah on Tuesday, al-Faisal said Riyadh is ready for dialogue with Tehran if the Iranians have a genuine desire for it, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.  

According to the report, he stated that there was a series of talks with the Iranian side, in addition to plans for setting out the program of Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi’s visit to Saudi Arabia “in order to identify the points that we need to solve so the relations (could) be restored to their normal level.” 

Salehi contacted Prince Saud and showed desire to continue dialogue “and I have informed him that they (Iranians) have an invitation and whenever you wish (to visit Saudi Arabia) then we will (be) happy” to receive you, said the top Saudi diplomat, according to KUNA. 

Arab News also quoted Al-Faisal as saying that the Kingdom’s bilateral dialogue with Iran will continue.