Iran’s top diplomat tours Arab states following nuclear deal

The Iranian minister, for his part, said that Iran has always emphasized the dialogue and cooperation as well as expansion of friendly ties among neighboring states, adding that the issue was top on the agenda of Iran’s foreign policy.

KUWAIT Iran’s foreign minister urged Gulf Arab countries to join forces with Tehran to fight against extremism and militancy in the Middle East.

“Our message to the countries of the region is that we should cooperate to face the common threat”, Mohammad Javad Zarif told reporters after meeting Kuwaiti officials on his first foreign trip since the nuclear deal with world powers. He was at as a outcome of continue to Qatar then Iraq.

Zarif also is expected to visit Qatar and Iraq during his tour.

“Iran stands behind the people in the region to fight against the threat of extremism, terrorism and sectarianism…”

Asked if Iran will change its policy in Syria and Iraq following the deal, Zarif said Iran has been at the forefront in fighting against the Islamic State group and Al-Qaeda, and its timely interference prevented the fall of Baghdad and Arbil to IS.

Authorities also said an arms smuggling plot by two Bahrainis with ties to Iran had been foiled.

Bahraini state media reported on Saturday that the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (SCIA) “strongly denounced the repeated blatant Iranian interference in Bahrain’s internal affairs in order to shake up the kingdom’s stability and fan tension”.

That announcement came hours after Bahrain, which has a Shiite majority, said it was recalling its envoy from Tehran in protest at “hostile” comments by Iranian leaders.

Bahrain’s coastguard recovered the shipment, which included 43.8 kilograms of the explosive material C4, eight Kalashnikovs, as well as ammunition and detonators.

It said its investigation and questioning of the pair revealed that one of them was trained in Iran in August 2013 and “underwent intensive training in making and using explosives”. Both suspects were provided with funds for the operation.

Bahrain’s opposition says the government, backed by its Sunni ally Saudi Arabia, is attempting to stifle free speech by detaining, prosecuting and jailing peaceful political dissidents.