Steinmeier: Iran and Saudi Arabia Do Not Need Mediation

Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Foreign Minister, stated on Tuesday, February 1, during a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran, that Iran and Saudi Arabia do not need mediation. According to IRNA, in response to a question about mediation between Tehran and Riyadh, he said, "I don't think I need to mediate between the neighboring countries of Iran and Saudi Arabia, and that these two countries need mediation." Diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia were severed in January following the execution of Sheikh Nimr, a prominent Saudi cleric, and the subsequent attacks on the Saudi embassy and consulate in Tehran and Mashhad. Following the severance of diplomatic relations, a war of words between Tehran and Riyadh intensified. According to the report, Mohammad Javad Zarif also stated regarding Iran-Saudi relations: "We did not seek tension in relations with Saudi Arabia, and the policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran has been to prioritize its neighbors, and we have made efforts and shown that the Islamic Republic of Iran, just as it interacted with dignity and constructively in the nuclear negotiations with the six world powers, has the same approach towards its neighbors." He added, "The Saudi regime was not only not seeking to resolve issues but was also looking to escalate tensions and should reconsider this policy." Regarding the Syrian crisis, Frank-Walter Steinmeier clarified in another part of this press conference that, "Our understanding of resolving the Syrian crisis differs, and this is not hidden." The German Foreign Minister also emphasized: "In Vienna, together with other participants, we came to the belief that all ethnicities and religious and sectarian minorities must live in peace and harmony, and that the war and bloodshed must end quickly." Mr. Steinmeier expressed hope that peace negotiations between the Syrian government and its opponents would be fruitful. Referring to the ongoing negotiations in Geneva between the Syrian government and its opponents, he said: "It is clear that without the support of the United States, Russia, Europe, and regional neighbors, success at the negotiating table will be hard to achieve." Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated that Iran is one of the countries that can be influential in this regard, as well as Saudi Arabia, which I will travel to tomorrow. The German Foreign Minister arrived in Tehran for a two-day visit and is scheduled to leave Tehran for Riyadh after meeting with Hassan Rouhani, the President of Iran. Frank-Walter Steinmeier had also visited Tehran in October of this year.