Iran calls for change in ‘unfriendly’ Saudi Arabia behaviour

TEHRAN: Iran said on Monday it would use diplomacy to change Saudi Arabia´s “unfriendly” behaviour after accusing its regional rival of encouraging the weeks-long protest movement sparked by death of Mahsa Amini.

Tehran accuses Riyadh of funding hostile media organisations, and last week threatened to retaliate against the Gulf kingdom´s “destabilising actions”. “Our country does not seek conflict in the region and adheres to the path of negotiations with Saudi Arabia,” Iran´s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani told reporters. He said Iran would not “incite instability in the region”, adding that Tehran considered its neighbours´ security “as its own”. The two countries severed ties in 2016 when protesters attacked Saudi Arabia´s diplomatic missions in Iran.