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RI, EU agree to cooperate to reduce Iran-Saudi Arabia tensions
Gearing up: Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Affairs Ministry
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Gearing up: Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The government and the EU have agreed to cooperate to help reduce ongoing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. (Tempo) (Tempo)
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span class="caption">Gearing up: Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Affairs Ministry. The government and the EU have agreed to cooperate to help reduce ongoing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia. (Tempo)
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi and the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security, Federica Mogherini, on Wednesday agreed to continue cooperating on future initiatives that could help appease the ongoing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
In a talk on Wednesday morning, Retno and Mogherini discussed the current tensions and coordinated messages ahead of Retno's visit to Iran and Saudi Arabia.
'The high representative and the minister agreed on the need to reduce tensions in the region,' the EU said in a statement on Wednesday.
'They shared the view that the current tension could have important negative consequences, not only for bilateral relations but also for the region, the Syrian process and for Muslim communities all around the world, from Southeast Asia to Europe,' it added.
Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia deteriorated after the latter executed a prominent Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr. Angered by the execution, Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran and a consulate in another city. The mounting tension ended in Riyadh's move to break off diplomatic relations with Tehran.
Arab foreign ministers, with the exception of Lebanon, condemned in a Sunday statement what they called Iran's meddling in Arab affairs, the Associated Press reported.
The ministers accused Iran of breaking international agreements by intentionally failing to protect Saudi diplomatic posts in a statement issued following a closed-door emergency meeting. (ebf)(+)
