Caretaker of Iran's Foreign Ministry Ali-Akbar Salehi outlined new plans to promote ties with different foreign countries, IRNA reported. Talking in a farewell ceremony held for former foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki here Saturday morning, he said Iran should program its foreign policies towards achieving the highest efficiency. Given the present situation in the region and the international arena, he added, Iran should focus on the neighboring countries and the Islamic world in the first place to get to this end. He referred to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Turkey as the two countries which hold the most significant position in Iran's foreign policy scheme due to their specific situations. Salehi described the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as one of the pillars of the global economy and said as the seat of two of Muslims' most sacred places it deserved special political ties with Iran. He said Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as two influential countries in the region and the Islamic world could tackle many problems through cooperation. Furthermore, pointing to many cultural and ideological points Iran and Turkey shared, he said further strengthening of ties with Turkey as a powerful country which enjoys a zealous nation and a strategic position will benefit the Islamic world.
