DAMASCUS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said here on Wednesday that Iran is willing to build close ties with Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to reporters following a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad, Zarif said Iran has established some contacts with Saudi Arabia for greater cooperation.
"We certainly are ready and have always been ready for close ties with Saudi Arabia. We are sure that our Syrian brothers have always welcomed cooperation with the Arab world," he said.
For his part, Mekdad said Syria has always wanted to bring the Arab states' point of view closer.
His remarks come amid media leaks that Saudi officials had held talks with Syrian ones over re-establishing diplomatic relations and opening the Saudi embassy in Syria.
Mekdad also voiced his country's support for the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear deal.
"We fully support the negotiations between Iran and other related parties. We stand by the side of Iran in their rightful demands," he said. Enditem
