Doors of diplomacy still open to Saudis: Larijani

Ali Larijani, who is in the Iraqi capital city of Baghdad to attend the 11th session of the Parliamentary Union of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (PUIC), told IRNA that negotiation is the only solution to regional problems.
 
The comments came amid a weeks-long diplomatic spat between Tehran and Riyadh.
 
He said Iran believes that the most complicated differences can be settled through negotiations.
 
“Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country and we have never sought to damage and undermine its position,” the Iranian parliament speaker said.
 
He added that the Islamic Republic’s policy has never been based on undermining the position of an Islamic country, because it would weaken the entire Muslim world.
 
Larijani said Iran has always tried to strengthen unity among Muslims, expressing hope that Saudi Arabia would stop moving in the wrong path and instead pursue wise and moderate policies.
 
Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran on January 3 following demonstrations held in front of the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in the northeastern city of Mashhad by angry protesters censuring the Al Saud family for the execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr in Riyadh on January 2.
 
Some people mounted the walls of the consulate in Mashhad while incendiary devices were hurled at the embassy in Tehran.
 
Iranian officials strongly denounced the incidents. Over 150 people involved in the incidents were also arrested.