TEHRAN — Abbas Golru, head of the Foreign Relations Sub-Committee of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee of the Iranian parliament, said on Friday afternoon that positive signals have been received from Baghdad regarding the Tehran-Riyadh talks.

“Currently, good signals have been exchanged between the two countries, and President Raisi's statement at his first press conference that he was ready to reopen the embassies in the two countries was a message to our southern neighbor, Saudi Arabia, which is an important country,” Golru said at a televised interview.

He added that they also reacted positively in one or two comments “because the region has less capacity for tension, and countries are willing to talk.”

The parliamentarian added that there have been good talks in Iraq with a focus on the region, the Yemen crisis at the request of the Saudi side, because it wants to calm the situation down.

“Saudi Arabia has been in Yemen for more than 6 years; they fell into a quagmire where they thought they could surrender Yemen in a few weeks, but what has happened now is that, first, the pro-Saudi forces are at loggerheads within themselves, and Saudi Arabia is in a difficult situation. Naturally, regarding the issue of Yemen, the priority is the talks in the Persian Gulf and security in the region, in order to reach bilateral understanding,” he underlined. 

He also said that he is optimistic over mending ties with the Saudis. 

Golru added, “We have to overcome the challenges that exist in the region and there is no room for more (tension).” 

He said that the region cannot tolerate the continuation of tensions, although the conflict was sparked by the other sides, particularly the U.S. and European countries.

“Unfortunately, some countries in the region are accompanying this ‘imported” tension,” he remarked. 

The MP said that Iran needs to get more involved in regional diplomacy than ever before. 

“Our regional diplomacy needs a new study to bring about change, so that we can both advance foreign policy and use our soft power, and be able to pursue our interests with our neighbors in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility,” he concluded. 
 

SA/PA