AFP, Riyadh :
Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for a rare visit to the regional rival, bringing condolences after the death of King Abdullah, television pictures showed.The visit coincided with a statement from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressing hope for improved relations with the kingdom.
Saudi officials greeted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif after he landed at a military airport in the capital Riyadh.
Iran and Saudi Arabia, the region’s foremost Shiite and Sunni Muslim powers, have had troubled relations in recent years after taking different sides in the Syrian civil war.
Tehran has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while Riyadh supported Sunni rebels trying to topple him.
Zarif has previously declined a Saudi invitation to visit the kingdom, citing continued negotiations between his country and international powers over Iran’s disputed nuclear programme.
In August last year Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
Iran’s foreign minister arrived in Saudi Arabia on Saturday for a rare visit to the regional rival, bringing condolences after the death of King Abdullah, television pictures showed.The visit coincided with a statement from Iranian President Hassan Rouhani expressing hope for improved relations with the kingdom.
Saudi officials greeted Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif after he landed at a military airport in the capital Riyadh.
Iran and Saudi Arabia, the region’s foremost Shiite and Sunni Muslim powers, have had troubled relations in recent years after taking different sides in the Syrian civil war.
Tehran has backed Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while Riyadh supported Sunni rebels trying to topple him.
Zarif has previously declined a Saudi invitation to visit the kingdom, citing continued negotiations between his country and international powers over Iran’s disputed nuclear programme.
In August last year Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian held talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.
