TEHRAN, 17 April — Iranian President Muhammad Khatami will receive Interior Minister Prince Naif today at the presidential palace here a few hours before the historic signing of the joint security accord between Saudi Arabia and Iran following an official meeting with his Iranian counterpart Abdol Vahed Musavi-Lari. Prince Muhammad ibn Naif, assistant interior minister for security matters, will also attend the meetings and the signing ceremony.
Prince Naif will also meet today with Hassan Ruhani, secretary-general of Iran’s Higher Council for National Security, and Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi.
The Saudi and Iranian sides have approved the text of the official agreement to be signed by the two ministers today, according to an Asharq Al-Awsat source. The original document has been prepared in duplicate in three languages — Arabic, Persian and English. The English copy will be depended in the event of any disagreement arising on the interpretation of any clause in the text of the agreement. The agreement, which covers cooperation in all areas, will be implemented immediately after the completion of the legal proceedings such as the endorsement by the constitutional establishments in both the countries, according to the source.
Since the religious and political circles welcomed the agreement, no hurdles are expected in getting the accord passed in the Iranian Shoura Council.
According to the sources, the accord will cover security issues such as fighting organized crime and international terrorism, ill-gotten money and money laundering, fighting drug trafficking, smuggling, particularly arms and articles of archeological and cultural value in addition to forgery of government papers. The agreement also provides for the exchange of information on security matters, training security personnel, and facilitating travel between both countries, the source said.
According to the same source, both parties have reached an understanding on the extradition of persons involved in criminal acts.
Prince Naif also met yesterday former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani who stressed the significance of strengthening the Saudi-Iranian relations. “It was and has been excellent,” Rafsanjani said.
The ex-president expressed his respect and appreciation for Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah, deputy premier and commander of the National Guard. He commended the role being played by the Kingdom in strengthening relations with Iran in the interest of the two countries and the peoples of the region.
Prince Naif conveyed the greetings of King Fahd, Prince Abdullah and Prince Sultan, second deputy premier and minister of defense and aviation, to the Iranian leader. The prince also said the Kingdom realized the importance of relations with Iran, notably security relations and explained that strong relations should be based on clarity, sincerity, frankness, trust and mutual respect.
The meeting was also attended by the Iranian interior minister, Prince Muhammad ibn Naif and other officials. Prince Naif also met yesterday with Mahdi Karubi, speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly.
Earlier on Sunday, the first session of the official Saudi-Iranian talks was held here under the co-chairmanship of Prince Naif and his Iranian counterpart Abdolvahed Musavi-Lari. Lari highlighted the significant role being played by the Kingdom to strengthen regional stability. “We hope that your visit to Iran will yield positive results and contribute to further enhancing bilateral relations in various spheres,” he said.
He described the Saudi-Iranian security agreement, to be signed today, as an important development in the Saudi-Iranian relations. “This agreement will have a positive impact on the region and will open new horizons of constructive cooperation,” he said. Speaking on the occasion, Prince Naif expressed his happiness to attend the meeting which, he said is aimed at discussing security issues of concern to the two countries.
Prince Naif said the security agreement between the two countries would benefit the two countries as well as the whole region. The prince said he looked forward to the day when the two countries would work together to realize security in the region, Islamic countries and the world at large.
The two sides also held talks that focused on ways of promoting cooperation between the two countries in the security field and other issues of common interest.
In a press statement following the meeting, Prince Naif said there was no disagreement on points of view. “This meeting was not meant for preparing the security agreement because the security agreement had previously been finalized,” he said. In a similar statement, the Iranian interior minister described the talks as “useful and constructive.”
The talks were attended by Prince Muhammad ibn Naif, Saudi Ambassador to Iran Jameel Al-Jeshi and the delegation accompanying the interior minister. On the Iranian side, the talks were attended by the assistant interior minister for security and police affairs, Gholam Hussein Blindian, and a number of high-ranking officials.
