Iran’s foreign minister says there is no reason why his country cannot work with Saudi Arabia to help end regional conflicts, despite the “grievances” between the two nations. 
Iran backs destabilizing forces in the region, such as the Houthis in Yemen, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Assad regime which has resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Syrians since 2011. 
But Mohammad Javad Zarif told the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos that closer ties between the two powers could benefit the region as a whole.
“I do not see any reason Iran and Saudi Arabia should have hostile policies towards each other. We can in fact cooperate for future stability of our region. We can in fact work together in order to put an end to the miserable condition of the people in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain and elsewhere in the region,” Zarif said.
The minister pointed to the recent election of Michel Aoun as president of Lebanon as an example of a “success story” of Tehran-Riyadh relations. Aoun is a close ally of the Iran-backed Hezbollah, but made Saudi Arabia his first foreign visit after being elected.
“Iran and Saudi Arabia were able to actually stop impeding the process of the presidential election in Lebanon. We have a success story. And neither Iran nor Saudi Arabia lost in this process. So we do not need to have zero-sum games,” Zarif said.
“I do not see any reason Iran and Saudi Arabia cannot work together,” he added.
The Iranian minister did however go on to specify some “grievances” between the two countries, pointing to the 2015 stampede during Hajj in which hundreds of Iranian pilgrims died. Zarif said that this incident was due, at least, to “negligence”.
Adel Al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, on Tuesday highlighted concerns over Iran in his address to the Davos forum.
The minister said that Tehran should be held responsible for its “support of terrorism”.
“Iran has been single-handedly the most important supporter of terrorism in the region,” Al-Jubeir said. “I find it interesting that virtually every country in the world has been attacked by Al-Qaeda and Daesh, except Iran. Why?”
Zarif gave an apparent answer to that question on Wednesday, when he described the accusation that Iran is somehow responsible for Daesh as “the joke of the century.”
“Nobody can derive any benefits, even temporary benefits, from supporting extremism and terrorism and sectarianism,” Zarif said.
Presidential elections are being held in Iran later this year, but Zarif said there will be “continuity” in Tehran’s international policies no matter who wins.
“Iran, because of its geographic location, is interested in stability and tranquility in the region. And I believe that is an element in our policy that will continue regardless of who is elected,” he said.
He gave a studied diplomatic answer when asked his view of the incoming government of US President-elect Donald Trump, saying that “we need to wait for the administration to take office before we start passing judgements.”
But Zarif was a little less guarded when asked how it might be viewed by his country’s citizens. “From the perspective of the Iranian people, the policies of the United States have never been positive,” he said.
Zarif said there are “modest” expectations over the upcoming Syria peace talks in Astana.
“What we need to do at the international level is to help the Syrians reach this stage of starting to talk to each other. And I believe the first step has been taken, by Iran, Russia and Turkey.”