Javad Zarif To Visit Algeria To Discuss Qatar-Gulf Crisis

Iran Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, will visit Algeria, on Sunday, as part of a tour to Mauritania and Tunisia, to discuss bilateral relationships and the crisis in the Gulf region.

Foreign Ministry’s spokesman Bahram Qassimi quoted Fars News Agency as saying; “FM Zarif will start on Sunday a tour to North Africa including Algeria, Mauritania and Tunisia”.

During the two-day visit, Zarif will meet with his counterparts, and the presidents of the three countries Algeria, Mauritania and Tunisia.

“This visit aims to develop bilateral relationships between the Islamic Republic of Iran and these countries. Consultation on developments in the region, including Syria and Gulf issues, is one of the axes of the talks during the visit.

“Developments in the region require larger solidarity among the Islamic countries, and the Islamic Republic of Iran believes that these countries should show greater unity and solidarity to those who harbor bad intentions and support discrimination”.

The visit of the head of Iranian diplomacy in the Maghreb comes after the cancellation of a previous visit by President Hassan Rowhani to Algeria last March, which was in the framework of an African tour as well.

Former Foreign Minister, Ramtan Lamamra, asserted that the cancellation of that visit was at the request of the Iranian side.

Javad Zarif’s move to Algeria came at the height of a crisis in the Gulf region, after several countries cut ties with Qatar on charges of “supporting terrorism”, and most of which have strained relationships with Tehran, and Doha is tries to impose guardianship.

Iran called for dialogue to resolve the crisis, but Gulf states say they support Qatar in its crisis with its neighbors, while observers say that Tehran is the biggest beneficiary of the crisis.

For its part, Algeria called for dialogue between the parties to the Gulf crisis, amid talk of signs of mediation that is led by the parties to the crisis with which it has good relationships.

On Thursday, Advisor to the UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs Faris al-Mazroui and Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi, visited Algeria to discuss the crisis in the Gulf region.