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Iran calls for dialogue with Persian Gulf Arabs to tackle common challenges

Xinhua, February 20, 2017 Adjust font size:

Iran's foreign minister on Sunday called for talks between the Islamic republic and the Persian Gulf states aimed at addressing the mutual and regional issuers.

"Countries in the Persian Gulf region need to surmount the current state of division and tension and instead move in the direction of erecting realistic regional arrangements," Mohammad Javad Zarif said at the 53rd Munich Security Conference.

"It can perhaps start with a modest regional dialogue forum," he said, urging the Persian Gulf Arab states to work with Iran to address "anxieties" and violence across the region, according to Press TV.

On Wednesday, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani made formal trips to Kuwait and Oman on the reconciliation mission between Iran and the Arab states.

His trip followed the January visit by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Khaled al-Sabah to Tehran who delivered a message on a "basis of dialogue" between Arab states and Iran.

Following that, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said the Iranian government was mulling a response to the reconciliation overture.

Relations between Iran and some Arab states have deteriorated over the past years over the ongoing conflicts in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain.

They have accused Iran of interfering in the internal affairs of some Arab states. Iran has denied the charges. Endit