Saudi Arabia is ready to negotiate better relations with regional rival Iran, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saudal Faisal told reporters in Riyadh on Tuesday.
His comments came as major powers held a fresh round of nuclear talks with Iran over its controversial nuclear program amid a rapprochement between Tehran and the West.
“Iran is a neighbour, we have relations with them and we will negotiate with them,” the Saudi minister said.
“We will talk with them in the hope that if there are any differences, they will be settled to the satisfaction of both countries,” he told reporters.
“Our hope is that Iran becomes part of the effort to make the region as safe and prosperous as possible, and not part of the problem of the insecurity of the region,” said the minister.
Faisal said that his Iranian counterpart Muhammad Javad Zarif had been invited to visit the kingdom.
“We are willing to receive him any time that he sees fit to come,” he said.
Zarif had said in December 2013 that he would like to visit Saudi Arabia and appealed to the kingdom to work with Tehran in the search for regional stability.
Faisal’s remarks came as United States Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel was in Saudi Arabia on the first leg of a regional tour focusing on Iran’s nuclear program and the war in Syria.
