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Iran on Wednesday appeared to welcome an offer by Saudi Arabia to thaw relations between the two countries, a day after the kingdom's top diplomat invited his Iranian counterpart to visit.

Tehran, however, stopped short of confirming plans for a trip to the kingdom by Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

Sunni-ruled and U.S.-allied Saudi Arabia has long been wary of Shiite powerhouse Iran's influence in the region. Relations between the two countries have been further strained by the civil war in Syria. Saudi Arabia and its Sunni-ruled Gulf neighbors back rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad's government, which is supported by Tehran.

Saudi Arabia took a step toward breaking the ice on Tuesday, when Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal said he had invited his Iranian counterpart to visit and was awaiting a reply.

"I hope that Iran contributes to stability in the region," Prince Saud was quoted as saying by the official Saudi Press Agency. "Iran is a neighbor country and we have relations with it. We talk to them and hope to end any differences between the two countries."

In recent months, Zarif visited several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates and Oman in a sign of improving relations with Iran's Sunni neighbors.

Tehran has expressed an interest in working more closely with Saudi Arabia too, but the kingdom had previously shown little appetite for boosting ties.

Besides its differences with Iran over Syria, Saudi Arabia sees a stronger Iran as a threat to its own influence in the region. Riyadh also has accused Iran of backing Shiite uprisings in neighboring Yemen and Bahrain.

Iran's deputy foreign minister, Amir Abdollahian, was quoted on Wednesday by al-Alam, the Arabic-language channel of Iran's state TV, as saying that Iran has not received any written invitation from Saudi Arabia so far.

"Iran welcomes dialogue and meeting to help resolve regional disputes, remove misunderstandings and further promote bilateral ties," he said.

Originally posted here:
Iran Shows Openness to Improving Saudi Ties

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New York, May 14 : Ensuring that there is no impunity for those alleged to have committed serious crimes in Libya is crucial to bring lasting peace to the country, the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) stressed on Tuesday, as she lamented the slow progress to date in this vital aspect of the democratic transition.

"Individuals alleged to have committed serious crimes in Libya must be brought to justice either in Libya or at the International Criminal Court: this is not negotiable," Fatou Bensouda said in her briefing to the Security Council.

"Above all, we hope we can count on the cooperation of States in facilitating the smooth arrest and surrender of those against whom warrants will be issued," she added. "This is key for sending a clear message to would-be Libyan perpetrators and indeed all other would-be perpetrators that the international community is watching and will no longer allow impunity to reign unchecked."

The 15-member body referred the situation in Libya to the ICC in 2011, the year that the country embarked on a democratic transition following the ouster of Muammar al-Qadhafi.

The Prosecutor cited the need for the Government to immediately surrender Saif Al-Islam Qadhafi - the former leader's son, who has been indicted by the ICC in relation to attacks against protesters and rebels during the 2011 uprising - to the Court without further delay.

"National judicial proceedings can never be an excuse for failure to comply with the Chamber's order," she noted.

Bensouda also regretted that progress has been slow in the case of former senior intelligence official Abdullah Al-Senussi, who was also indicted for alleged crimes against humanity.

The ICC had decided that he could be tried in Libya by the national authorities.

"We urge the Government of Libya to ensure that the case against him is proceeded with without undue delay and with full respect for his due process rights," she stated.

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LIbya: UN Court urges justice for perpetrators of serious crimes