Iranhails offer to start dialogue with Gulf countries

By Azernews

By Nigar Eyvazova

Iran has welcomed the message of the Emir of Kuwait to Iranian President Hassan Rouhani about the proposal from the Gulf countries to initiate a dialogue.

Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Jarallah announced about this while talking to reporters on January 29,KUNA reported.

"The message was delivered and has been apprehended. The Iranian side welcomed its content and voiced readiness to positively react to the content of the message,” he said.

The official expressed optimism that upcoming steps would witness a breakthrough in Gulf-Iran relations.   

Earlier, Rouhani said countries including Kuwait had offered to mediate in the escalating feud between Shi’ite Muslim Iran and Sunni power Saudi Arabia.

Relations between Iran and the Gulf states, especially with Saudi Arabia, remain strained due to the differences on regional issues.

Riyadh and some other members of the GCC accuse Tehran of using sectarianism to interfere in Arab countries and build its own sphere of influence in the Middle East. Tehran denies interfering in Arab countries.

Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in January 2016 cut diplomatic relations with Iran and some other Gulf states recalled their ambassadors in solidarity with the oil-rich kingdom after its embassy in Iran was torched by protesters.

But long-standing trade links and shared access to oil and gas fields have stopped many Gulf states from shutting the door on Iran.

Kuwait, which has a sizeable Shi'ite Muslim minority, is seen as a potential mediator. When Kuwait's emir visited Iran in 2014 it was the first by a ruler of the U.S.-allied Gulf Arab state since the 1979 revolution.