Zarif: Iran, Unlike Saudi Arabia, Seeks No Tension with Any Country

By Staff, Agencies

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Tehran, unlike Riyadh, does not seek tension with any country in the region, including Saudi Arabia.

Zarif’s remarks came as he spoke to a number of Iraqi reporters in Baghdad on Sunday.

The Iranian FM visited the Iraqi capital to make necessary preparations for Iranian President Hassan Rouhani's first visit to Iraq since 2013, which already started on Monday and will last for three days.

Asked about the possibility of a trip by him to Riyadh, Zarif said he has no plan for such a visit, but at the same time, has no problem with it, because it is Saudi Arabia, which seeks to create tension in the region not Iran.

When asked about the US’ unilateral sanctions against Iran, Zarif said it is the first time that a country is being punished, because it has observed international law and the UN’s regulations.

Zarif further described as a "dangerous phenomenon" the US approach to violate international law and punish other countries due to their commitment to regulations.

Earlier in the day, Iraqi President Barham Salih stressed that his country will not be part of a regime of unilateral sanctions imposed by the US against Iran and will do its best to reduce the damage done to the Iranian nation as a result of the bans.

Earlier in May last year, US President Donald Trump withdrew Washington from a landmark nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA], reached between Iran and the P5+1 group of countries in 2015, and decided to re-impose unilateral sanctions against Tehran.

Under the deal, Iran undertook to put limits on its nuclear program in exchange for the removal of nuclear-related sanctions.