Iranian foreign minister says talks with Saudis positive

Hossein Amirabdollahian made the remark in a telephone conversation with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hossein on Thursday.

Amirabdollahian reiterated, “Our assessment of the latest round of negotiations in Baghdad is positive. Tehran welcomes the implementation of the results of talks with Saudi Arabia.”

Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hossein also expressed pleasure at the trend of talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia. He underlined the Iraqi government’s determination to continue its efforts aimed at direct talks between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia and the return of their bilateral ties to normal.

As for the Vienna talks aimed at removing anti-Iran sanctions, Amirabdollahian said Iran and the US were exchanging messages through the EU representative but the White House suddenly put forth the idea of issuing an anti-Iran resolution at the IAEA.

He added that Washington is after extracting political concessions from Iran at the negotiating table through the IAEA resolution.

Amirabdollahian noted that Iran has always invited the West to the path of diplomacy and Tehran even put a political initiative on the table several days before the agency’s recent meeting for the purpose of continuing talks until a final deal is reached.

He added that in the face of the US’s unconstructive behavior at the agency, Iran’s countermeasure was to increase its peaceful nuclear activities within the framework of a parliamentary law.

The foreign minister said Iran views diplomacy as the best path to reaching a good, robust and lasting deal, but in the face of bullying, Tehran’s response with be based on strength.