Iran ‘never’ considered Saudi Arabia as an enemy: President Raisi

Iran has “never” considered Saudi Arabia an enemy, President Ebrahim Raisi said on Thursday, adding that Israel is the “common enemy” of all Muslim countries.

“We have never considered Saudi Arabia as our enemy. Based on the principled policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran, we consider the Zionist regime as a common enemy of the Islamic world,” Iranian state media quoted Raisi as saying during a meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced that they had reached an agreement, brokered by China, to reestablish diplomatic relations after seven years of no formal ties.

Under the deal, the two countries agreed to reopen embassies and consulates in each other’s territories and implement security and economic cooperation agreements that were signed over 20 years ago.

Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran in 2016 following an attack by pro-regime protesters on its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad.

Last week, Iran’s finance minister traveled to Jeddah, marking the first visit by an Iranian official to Saudi Arabia since Riyadh and Tehran agreed to resume diplomatic relations.

Earlier this month, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Saudi Arabia had introduced its new envoy to Tehran, and that Iran will soon reciprocate by introducing its new envoy to Riyadh, according to Iranian state news agency IRNA.