Kuwait's Foreign Minister Calls for Dialogue Between Iran and Gulf Cooperation Council Countries in Tehran

Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Sabah, the First Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Kuwait, presented a "written message" from the Emir of Kuwait to Hassan Rouhani during a meeting on Wednesday. Iranian media reports indicate that Al-Sabah called for dialogue between Iran and the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council to resolve disputes. According to the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs' media diplomacy office, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Sabah stated in a meeting with Mohammad Javad Zarif: "Given the common dangers, including terrorism in the region, we must look to the future as the countries of the region understand their interests better than others." The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister emphasized that it is necessary to resolve differences and misunderstandings among regional countries in a calm atmosphere through open dialogue. The official Kuwaiti news agency reported that prior to this trip, Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Sabah had mentioned that he would convey the Emir's message regarding "dialogue between Iran and the member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council" to Hassan Rouhani. On January 18, Rouhani also stated that about 10 countries, including Kuwait, had expressed readiness to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile, Rouhani stated on Wednesday during his meeting with Sheikh Sabah Khalid Al-Sabah that the Islamic Republic of Iran supports and will assist any actions aimed at developing stability and security in the region. The Iranian president emphasized that stability and security in the sensitive Middle East region can only be established through dialogue, friendship, and cooperation among regional countries, especially neighbors, and asserted that there is no doubt that the progress and development of the countries and nations in the region will benefit the stability and security of all. With the intensification of conflicts in Yemen and Syria, relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as other member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, have soured. In the Syrian civil war, Iran supports the government of Bashar al-Assad, while the Syrian opposition receives support from Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries. Additionally, in Yemen, Saudi Arabia leads an Arab coalition in support of the government of Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, while Iran supports the Houthi Shiite militants. Following the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia, the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad were attacked. In response, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran. In the continuation of these disputes, Iran also halted pilgrimages to Saudi Arabia. The member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council accuse Iran of interfering in the internal affairs of Arab countries and demand a change in Tehran's approach. In this context, the Kuwaiti Foreign Minister is carrying a message of "dialogue between Iran and the Gulf Cooperation Council" to Tehran.