TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign minister said on Sunday he is ready to meet his Saudi Arabian counterpart on the sidelines of next month’s UN General Assembly and to visit the Gulf powerhouse later this year.

Mohammad Javad Zarif’s remarks come amid a slight diplomatic warming between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which are fiercely divided over the civil war in Syria and other regional conflicts.

“The first opportunity for talks between me and his Excellency (Foreign Minister Prince) Saud al-Faisal is on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, and we hope to be able to use the opportunity,” Zarif said during a joint news briefing with his Finnish counterpart Erkki Tuomioja.

“After that I am ready to visit Saudi Arabia and welcome (Saud) to Iran.” Saudi Arabia invited Zarif to visit in May.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2014