Saudis in dire need of talk with Iran: Ex-envoy to Qatar

Speaking in an interview with Mehr News Agency on Monday, Abdollah Sohrabi reiterated that Saudis cannot survive in the region without the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Turning to Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif’s trip to Qatari capital Doha, he said that specific circumstances of the region require senior diplomats to constantly meet each other under various excuses to discuss common issues including Islamic world, Palestine, and post-ISIL aftermath.

Iran’s diplomacy apparatus also uses this opportunity for diplomatic talks during the holy month of Ramadan and due to the religious commonalities in the region by conducting Ramadan diplomacy, he stated.

Although every country faces problems in the field of its foreign policy, and Qatar in the past was at loggerhead with Iran’s positions in the region in some cases, it should be kept in mind that this meeting could be a good opportunity to exchange views on bilateral and regional issues, as well as issues of the Islamic world due to the current economic and political situation of this country, former diplomat emphasized.

Saudis are facing many problems in terms of security and economy in the region, he said, adding, “On the one hand, they face a large budget deficit and they are criticized and pressured about war in Yemen on the other hand. Therefore, they have lost their previous standing in the Arab world and the region. It is natural that they seek to negotiate with Iran, because without the Islamic Republic of Iran, they cannot survive in the region and must accept the facts.”

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