Iran’s Zarif: Saudi Regional Policies “Destructive”

Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, who won the confidence vote of Parliament’s members for the second term, spoke with ISNA news agency in an exclusive interview.

In this interview, Mr. Zarif answered questions about the latest development in the Iranian foreign policy, region, structural changes in the second term and employing female diplomats in the foreign ministry’s management positions.

The relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Pointing to the Saudi Arabia’s policies in the region, Zarif said, “Iran has always wanted to have good relations with its neighbors, but we believe that Riyadh’s policies in the region are destructive and even to the detriment of itself”.

“In Iran, we insist on the establishment of a safe, strong and convergent region which is in line with the national interests of Iran and the region. Iran’s policy for interaction with the regional countries and Saudi Arabia is within this framework and has not changed,” he said.

“We have always emphasized that we are ready to dialogue with Saudi Arabia to resolve the crises in the region, whereas Riyadh unfortunately did not do this and sees its interests in creating tension in the region,” Zarif noted.
Female ambassadors in the new term

On the other hand, the Iranian foreign minister said that the first female deputy foreign minister and the first female ambassador of Iran after the Islamic Revolution were appointed in his first term.

“I hope that in the second term, we can choose one or two other female ambassadors,” Zarif went on to say.