Khamenei adviser says Iran ready for regional dialogue

TEHRAN (AA) – Adviser to Iran’s supreme leader has expressed Tehran’s readiness for dialogue with regional countries to resolve disputes.

Kamal Kharrazi, who is also a former Iranian foreign minister, in an interview with Al Jazeera, said Iran is ready to hold dialogue with key regional players, including Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar.

The remarks came after US President Joe Biden’s maiden visit to the Middle East, which took him to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

On the second leg of his tour in the Saudi port city of Jeddah on Friday, Biden and Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman addressed a regional summit, which was followed by a hard-hitting statement against Iran.

Kharrazi, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said the only solution to regional crises is the formation of a regional forum with the participation of important countries.

He also dismissed the idea of “Middle East NATO” as “trivial” and said it was “out of agenda,” seconding Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan.

Faisal on Saturday said the kingdom’s hand of friendship is extended toward Iran, while adding that the ongoing talks between the two regional adversaries in Baghdad have been “positive” but without any significant breakthrough.

The senior Iranian official ruled out any negotiations over Iran’s missile development program and regional activities, which have been bones of contention between Iran and the Western powers for many years.

Kharrazi said Iran has the “technical capability” to build a nuclear bomb, and can easily ramp up nuclear enrichment from the present 60% to 90%, but “it does not intend to” go that path.