By NNN-IRNA
Tehran : Iran’s Ambassador to Riyadh Mohammad Hosseini said Dec 22 that Tehran-Riyadh amicable ties have been further bolstered in the recent years.
Talking to reporters, he said official invitation of the Saudi King Abdullah presented to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to perform this year’s annual Hajj rituals, was an indication of the existing amicable relations between the two Muslim countries.
He said bilateral talks held between Ahmadinejad and King Abdullah had very positive outcome.
During the meetings recently held between the two countries’ officials both in Tehran and Riyadh, consolidation of the World of Islam was underscored, the Iranian envoy noted.
He added that the Iranian Hajj pilgrims this year faced less problems compared to the previous years.
Tehran and Riyadh enjoy close cooperation at regional and international levels, Hosseini said adding that Iran and Saudi Arabia as two major regional and Islamic states, shoulder heavy responsibility regarding all world Muslim nations.
Referring to Tehran-Riyadh economic cooperation, he regretted that bilateral trade stood at only dlrs 500 million in 2005, growing to dlrs 830 million this year.
He expressed the hope that bilateral cooperation in all areas would witness growth in the near future.
President Ahmadinejad arrived in Saudi Arabia Monday to perform annual Hajj rituals. He wound up his five-day visit to the country and returned home Saturday morning.
While in Mina, the Iranian president discussed issues of the Islamic world with King Abdullah on Friday.
President Ahmadinejad visited Saudi Arabia twice in the past one year. He visited the country in March 2007 to review issues of mutual interest with senior Saudi officials.
The Iranian president also went to Riyadh in November 2007, to attend the third annual summit of Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).