Top diplomat says Saudis ready to continue talks with Iran
TEHRAN - Riyadh is ready to start talks on reestablishing diplomatic ties with Tehran, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian wrote on his Twitter account in Arabic on Wednesday.
Amir Abdollahian made the tweet a day after he attended the Baghdad conference in Amman, Jordan, to demonstrate Iran's support for Iraq.
He said that he had the chance to speak amicably with some counterparts outside of the meeting, including the foreign ministers of Oman, Qatar, Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
He added that the Saudi counterpart had informed him that his nation is prepared to continue negotiations with Iran.
Security officials from Saudi Arabia and Iran occasionally met in Iraq to discuss reestablishing diplomatic ties that had been broken in 2016.
FM condemns French interference as ‘unacceptable’
French interference in Iran's domestic affairs has also drawn harsh criticism from the top Iranian diplomat, who in a post on his Twitter account called Paris' response to recent events in Iran "unacceptable".
Amir Abdollahian held a meeting with his French counterpart Catherine Colonna on the sidelines of the Baghdad conference in Jordan on Tuesday. Colonna was accompanying President Macron in the visit to Amman.
He also stated that during the negotiations, France’s stance was discussed by both parties.
“Agreed that the path of dialog and diplomacy is preferable,” he wrote, adding, “The Islamic Republic of Iran stands strong and firm.”
Iranian and French diplomats have been at odds over Paris' meddling posture towards a string of uprisings in the Islamic Republic.
On November 28, the French National Assembly voted a resolution denouncing a "crackdown on non-violent demonstrations."
The approval of the "interventionist" anti-Iran resolution at the time drew a stern rebuke from Iran's foreign ministry, who also expressed dismay that France and some other European nations were exploiting the subject of human rights as a leverage to exert pressure on the Islamic Republic.
Even French President Emmanuel Macron hosted an Iranian-American journalist who is on Washington’s paylist to incite the unrest in Iran.
After the demise of a young Iranian woman named Mahsa Amini in middle of September in police custody, protests erupted in Tehran and spread to other cities. However, riots immediately turned violent, leading to the death of security forces and civilians alike.
Mahsa Amini fainted while in police custody but was declared dead three days later. Iranian Legal Medicine Organization's official assessment found that Amini's death was brought on by disease rather than claimed blows to the skull or other important body parts.
As Western nations offered backing, rioters went on the rampage, assaulting security personnel and damaging both public and private property.
Due to Iran's response to the riots, the European Union, the U.S. and Canada introduced news sanctions on the country.
As a result of the European Union's purposeful efforts in favor of rioters during the disturbances, Iran in response declared punitive penalties against organizations and people in the EU.
Jordan president receives a message from President Raisi
In a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan on Tuesday in Amman, Amir Abdollahian sent the King a letter from President Ebrahim Raisi.
Both discussed regional issues and the bilateral relationship between Iran and Jordan during their meeting.
Amir Abdollahian thanked the Jordanian government for hosting the second Baghdad conference and stated that in order to maintain peace, stability, and security in the region, regional cooperation is essential.
He also reaffirmed that expanding regional economic and trade cooperation will be in the countries' best interests.
The senior diplomat also discussed the prospects for bilateral collaboration between Iran and Jordan in the political and economic spheres, indicating that Iran is prepared to deepen its political, economic, and commercial ties with the Kingdom of Jordan.
King Abdullah II called for the beginning of a new chapter in bilateral relations and cooperation between the two nations.
The degree of collaboration and partnership between Muslim nations, according to him, determines their fate, adding, “This cooperation will promote stability and security in the Muslim world.”
FM proposes Turkmenistan to use Iranian land for gas transmission
In a phone conversation with his Turkmen counterpart Reshit Meredow on Tuesday, Amir Abdollahian encouraged improving Iran-Turkmenistan relations and regarded the transit problem and Turkmenistan's gas transmission through Iran to be crucial.
The two parties also spoke on bilateral cooperation and regional developments.
Amir Abdollahian emphasized the importance of transit and Turkmenistan's gas transmission through Iran while discussing Iran-Turkmenistan cooperation in mutual interests.
For his part, Meredow pointed out that Turkmenistan does not place any limitations on the growth of diplomatic ties with Iran.
He emphasized the significance of the two nations' collaboration in organizations such as the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) and the Islamic Cooperation Organization (OIC).
In other parts of his remarks, Meredow condemned the terrorist incident in Shah Cheragh shrine in Shiraz that left innocent people dead.
He also reaffirmed his nation's readiness to work with Iran to uproot terrorism in accordance with international law.