RIYADH, Jan 31: Saudi Arabia and Iran are ‘working closely’ to try to calm the crises in Iraq and Lebanon, Saudi Arabia said on Tuesday. Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal during a joint press conference with his Moroccan counterpart revealed that Iran had approached his country to “cooperate in averting strife between Sunnis and Shias in Iraq and Lebanon”. Saudi Arabia wanted only peace in the region, Prince Saud said.“A Saudi envoy is in Iran to study the efforts being exerted to calm the situation and defuse the crises in Iraq and Lebanon" and "exploring how Iran can contribute," he said.

Despite having competing claims of influence in the region, and Washington’s purported indifference towards co-opting Tehran, the two sides are in regular touch. The US has till yet rejected calls to engage Tehran in easing Iraq’s bloodshed and resolve the political crisis in Lebanon. Instead, it has been vowing to break what he called Iranian support for militants in both countries.

Saudi Arabia’s willingness to work with Iran also indicates the growing alarm in the kingdom’s leadership over the two simultaneous crises in the Middle East.