Salehi praises level of Kuwaiti-Iranian relations

Iran is keen on best relations possible with the State of Kuwait, and ties between the two countries are of praiseworthy level, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi said Wednesday.The remark was made during the official's meeting with a visiting delegation of Kuwaiti journalists and media figures headed by Chairman of Kuwait Journalists Association (KJA) Ahmad Bahbahani. Kuwaiti Ambassador Majdi Al-Thifeeri was also in attendance.The top diplomat said it is vital to bolster media as well as cultural communication and interaction between the two nations for their own and the whole region's interest. His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, he said, is leading his country with wisdom and showing due care for promotion of cooperation, Salehi noted.As to his view on GCC and regional stability and security, he said "we are all for strong bonds of friendship with the Kuwaiti people and other people of the Gulf, and we have family ties, as well as economic, commercial, and other social relations between our two peoples." He stressed he was optimistic about the future."Our top leaders urge us to sustain good-neighborly relations with countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, with which we differ in view on a number of issues." The official noted Kuwait has the benefit of "government and subjects of the same social fabric." This also goes for the rest of the Gulf, he said, and "this should be maintained to help us all deal with the present and avoid any future complications or stress in ties." The minister referred to developments in the Arab region, and while stressing Iran was keen on preserving stability and security of the area, he also pointed out it views the situation in Bahrain as an internal issue, which should be addressed through dialogue.On Syria, he said the situation could be viewed from two angles. The first suggests the Arab country as an important link in the region's defenses against outside dictates, which should be sustained as such. The second shows Syria in need of an internal re-ordering and re-assessment, about which "we engaged in dialogue with the Syrian officials." The delegation, which includes prominent Kuwaiti journalists, is making the first visit of the kind by a GCC delegation since the Iranian revolution of 1979. The aim is holding meetings with senior officials to bolster media relations and ascertain Iran's stances on a host of issue