TEHRAN - Ahmad Dastmalchian, Iran’s former ambassador to Lebanon, is of the opinion that the United States and the Zionist regime of Israel are impeding a de-escalation of tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

“In my opinion, Saudi Arabia seeks to reduce tension with Iran, but the United States and the Zionist regime have prevented Saudi Arabia to implement this issue, because their interests depend on a crisis among Iran and Arab brothers in the region,” ISNA quoted him as saying in an interview published on Monday.

Dastmalchian said after developments in Syria and Iraq, the Saudis have come to the conclusion that they cannot do anything in the region without Iran and that they must enter talks with Tehran.

The former diplomat added that Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani was on a mission to Iraq to reduce tension between Iran and Saudi Arabia, however, the U.S. assassinated him because Washington seeks to increase the tension.

During a press conference on Sunday, President Hassan Rouhani said that Iran has “no unsolvable” problem with Saudi Arabia.

“We have always said that we have no complicated and unsolvable problem with Saudi Arabia and the issues between the two countries can be discussed whenever Saudi Arabia is ready,” Rouhani stated.

NA/PA