Iran faces no obstacle to boosting ties with Muslim states: Prez

Tehran, June 18 Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has said that Iran faces no obstacle to expanding relations with Muslim countries.

Raisi made the remarks on Saturay in a meeting with visiting Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in the capital Tehran, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a statement published on the website of the Iranian President's office.

He welcomed the resumption of ties between the two "important and influential" countries of the Muslim world, saying that dialogue and interaction between Tehran and Riyadh benefit the two nations and are necessary in line with good neighborliness.

Noting that Muslim states have broadly welcomed the normalization of the Tehran-Riyadh relations, Raisi expressed confidence in overcoming difficulties and problems facing West Asia through cooperation and dialogue among regional states.

The Saudi foreign minister, for his part, expressed satisfaction with the resumption of the bilateral ties and his trip to Tehran, adding that enhancing cooperation with Iran is on both countries' agenda.

He added that Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has ordered the formation of different working groups for developing relations with Iran, noting that his country is making efforts to improve bilateral ties to a strategic level.

The Saudi foreign minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday afternoon, making his first visit to the Iranian capital in more than seven years.

Later in the day, he met with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, following which the two top diplomats attended a joint press conference.

At the conference, the Saudi foreign minister extended an official visit invitation on behalf of the King to Raisi.

Iran and Saudi Arabia announced in April the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.