TEHRAN, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday the future of relations between his country and Saudi Arabia was "bright and promising."
He made the remarks at a weekly press conference in the Iranian capital Tehran, while commenting on the latest progress in promoting political and economic relations between Tehran and Riyadh.
Kanaani said the bilateral relations were moving forward on a "right and natural" track, while talks and consultations were ongoing at different levels.
He stressed that economic issues were on both countries' agenda ever since the beginning of their talks on the resumption of the bilateral relations, which culminated in March 2023 in the achievement of a groundbreaking China-brokered agreement in Beijing to restore diplomatic ties and reopen embassies and missions.
Kanaani added the two countries were still holding talks on this path, saying fresh visits headed by senior delegations to each other's countries prepared the ground for expanding bilateral economic relations.
He mentioned the presence of a Saudi economic delegation at Iran's 6th Export Potential Exhibition, which runs in Tehran from Saturday to Wednesday, as well as two Iranian delegations respectively headed by Finance Minister Ehsan Khandouzi, and Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy Mehdi Safari in the Saudi capital of Riyadh.
Khandouzi was scheduled to take part in a meeting of the Islamic Development Bank, while Safari was in Riyadh to attend the special meeting of the World Economic Forum.
Iran and Saudi Arabia formally declared in April of last year the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in early 2016 in response to attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. The attacks followed Saudi Arabia's execution of a Shiite cleric. ■
