(IRNA) - Iran and Saudi Arabia urged the need to protect unity among Islamic states and called for further cooperation on regional issues, in particular under the current sensitive conditions.
At a meeting between the visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdel Aziz, the two sides also supported return of stability and tranquility to the region, reports Trend.
The Saudi king underlined the need for expansion of mutual relations in all dimensions and said that Iran is considered a significant regional country.
"Iran-Saudi cooperation has a major role in thwarting the current threats and promoting sustainable security in the region and on the international scene," he said.
For his part, Mottaki pointed to bilateral ties and assessed such ties in all domains as growing.
He said that Iran is willing to upgrade mutual political ties to the level of strategic relations between the two states.
The minister said that Iran's strategy is based on strengthening cooperation with regional and neighboring countries and declared Iran's readiness to broaden its multifaceted ties with Saudi Arabia.
Turning to the Zionist regime's crimes against the Lebanese and Palestinian people, in particular its attacks on Gaza and Qana village resulting in the death and injury of dozens of women and children, he urged the need to help the people of Lebanon and Palestine to reconstruct their lands.
Prior to meeting King Abdullah, the Iranian foreign minister conferred with his Saudi counterpart Saud al-Faisal on the regional developments, particularly the situation in Lebanon after Resolution 1701 was issued by the United Nations Security Council.
Mottaki started his tour of the regional countries last week and has so far visited Turkey, Yemen, Egypt and Algeria where he discussed issues of mutual interest with the senior officials of those countries.
For the first time, Mottaki traveled to Saudi Arabia last December to attend OIC foreign ministers meeting.