Iran is ready to hold talks with rival Saudi Arabia with or without the help of a mediator, foreign ministry of the Persian Gulf state said on Saturday.
'Iran has announced that, with or without a mediator, it is always ready to hold talk with its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, to get rid of any misunderstandings', Foreign Ministry spokesman Abbas Mousavi said.
The announcement came ahead of a visit by Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan to Iran.
Asked about reports that Imran, due to arrive in Tehran on Sunday, may try to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Mousavi said: “I am not aware of any mediation,” according to Reuters.
Two senior Pakistani government officials earlier said Imran Khan is going to Tehran to try to defuse tensions between the two rivals, after US President Donald Trump asked for his help.
'The prime minister [Imran] is also visiting Saudi Arabia next week', one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “His mission is to try open negotiations, or some sort of confidence building for the two rival countries to start some talks.”
Iran's foreign minister signaled this week that his country would be willing to discuss regional issues with Saudi Arabia, but that Riyadh had to stop 'killing people.'
Saudi Arabia is locked in several wars in the region with Iran and has blamed Tehran for attacks on Saudi oil plants on Sept 14, a charge Iran denies.
In a statement on Saturday, Pakistan’s foreign ministry described Imran’s visit to Tehran as 'part of his initiative to promote peace and security in the region.'