Iran: Shift in Saudi Arabia’s Policy to Strengthen Peace in Region

(FNA)- An Iranian foreign ministry official reiterated the vital importance of the enhancement of unity among the regional states, and expressed the hope that the recent shift in the Saudi officials' approach towards the regional disputes would bring about good results for the entire Middle-East.

Iranian Foreign Ministry’s Director-General for the Middle East and North Africa Mojtaba Ferdowsipour on Saturday pointed to Riyadh’s new approach towards regional developments, and expressed hope that such a shift of policy would prepare the ground for closer convergence on the regional level and bring Iran and Saudi Arabia closer to each other as their consultations facilitate the interests of the entire region.

“Saudi Arabia is correcting its past behavior concerning regional developments, which will hopefully help the establishment of stability in the region,” he noted.

Earlier this month, Saudi King Abdullah replaced spy chief Prince Bandar bin Sultan, who spearheaded the kingdom’s mission in the Syria crisis, with Youssef al-Idrisi.

Saudi Arabia's official SPA news agency cited a royal decree as saying that Bandar was “exempted... from his position at his own request” and replaced by his deputy al-Idrissi.

The 65-year-old prince, a former ambassador to the United States, was a staunch supporter of Takfiri militants operating against the Syrian government. He was appointed spy chief in 2012.

Bandar is widely believed to be the key figure trying to increase Saudi weapons flow to the foreign-backed militants in Syria.

The Saudi prince is also known to have had close ties with former US President George W. Bush, and was an advocate of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.