In a recent
interview with Jamaran news outlet on Saturday, Sabah Zanganeh noted, “Saudi
Arabia agreed to restore ties with Iran to be able to pursue the normalization
of relations with Israel is not a precise analysis.”
“Such an analysis would be an exaggeration,” he added.
“Saudi Arabia is, has been and will be worried about Iran’s reaction. The other
countries which have pursued the same policy are still concerned about Iran’s
stance, too,” he averred.
Additionally, the ex-envoy addressed Riyadh’s attitude on
Washington as saying, “Saudi Arabia seeks to gain concessions from the United
States; namely, it seeks the privilege of atomic energy enrichment from the US.”
He stated that the Saudis were making an effort to obtain
concessions in order to justify their choice.
“The Saudis want Israel’s cutting-edge technologies as well
as a trade and oil transit line to the Mediterranean,” he said.
The
former Iranian OIC ambassador remarked that the improvement in ties between the
two countries has left the Saudis without any excuses to gain more concessions
and justify forming an alliance with Israel.”
“Israel, for its part, lost an element which it used to
provoke Arab countries to adopt harsh stances against Iran,” he added.
In a
meeting with a group of foreign guests attending a Muslim unity conference in
Tehran lately, the Iranian Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian said Iran
aims to further strengthen relations with Saudi Arabia with the purpose of
blocking normalization with the Zionist regime of Israel.
He continued, “Today, we are witnessing the resumption of
Iran-Saudi relations, our intention is to have deep and extensive relations
between Iran and Saudi Arabia with an eye on the interests of the Islamic world
and with the aim of disappointing the enemy and blocking the way to normalize
relations.”
Back in September, Iran’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia,
Alireza Enayati, said that Tehran views Saudi Arabia as a strategic partner in
the West Asia region.
In remarks to the Saudi newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat, Enayati
said, “We consider the Kingdom a strategic partner of great importance within
the framework of the good neighborliness policy pursued by the current
government.”
Enayati told the Saudi paper that he intended to dedicate
his efforts in the upcoming period to enhance and foster relations between
Tehran and Riyadh.
He emphasized that both sides are strongly determined and
sincerely willing to develop these relations, expressing optimism about a
promising future.
The ambassador pointed out that Iranian President Ebrahim
Raisi had instructed him to do his utmost to strengthen brotherly and friendly
relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
