TEHRAN – Iran is committed to dialogue and adoption of political solutions to resolve bilateral and regional problems, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian said on Saturday, underlining Tehran’s readiness to hold talks with regional countries to boost ties.

Amir Abdollahian made the remarks in a meeting in Tehran on Saturday with Sheikh Khalifa bin Ali bin Issa al-Harthy, the Omani Foreign Ministry’s under-secretary for diplomatic affairs, according to Press TV.

Reiteration by Tehran to ameliorate ties with neighbors, especially Arab nations, comes as Iran and Saudi Arabia, which have been at loggerheads over a number of issues including the Yemen crises, were to hold a new round of talks in Baghdad on Saturday with the mediation of Iraq. 

The foreign minister said improving relations with neighboring countries is a foreign policy priority of the Ebrahim Raisi administration, noting that Iran attaches great importance to its ties with Oman as a neighbor.

He also underscored the need for bilateral efforts to enhance the volume of trade between the two countries so that it reaches the level of friendly relations between the two sides.

Elsewhere in his remarks, the top Iranian diplomat expressed hope that the efforts made by all regional countries, especially Iran and Oman, would pave the way for an end to the Yemeni crisis.

For his part, al-Harthy also hoped that the Yemeni crisis would end as soon as possible, adding that his country welcomes peaceful, diplomatic ways to reduce regional issues.

The Omani diplomat is in Iran for a meeting of the Iran-Oman joint strategic consultative committee.

In recent years, Iran has sought to expand its trade relations with regional countries, defying U.S. plots to isolate the country through sanctions.

The Raisi administration has especially focused on developing closer relations with neighboring countries.

Trade between Tehran and Muscat has steadily increased in 2021.

Meanwhile, Iran and Oman held a joint military drill in the Strait of Hormuz and the Sea of Oman earlier this month, with Iranian Navy Chief Rear Admiral Shahram Irani praising the two country’s “stable relations.”