Leaders of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have congratulated Hassan Rowhani on his election as Iranian President and expressed hope for better bilateral ties.
In a congratulatory message on Sunday, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia welcomed Rowhani's gesture to improve Iran-Saudi relations.
"We are glad to congratulate you in the name of the people and government of Saudi Arabia ... wishing greater progress and prosperity for the people of the brotherly Islamic Republic of Iran," the king said in a message to Rowhani carried by the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The Saudi monarch commended Rowhani's desire to strengthen cooperation and improve relations with Saudi Arabia as expressed in his statements. Crown Prince Salman, Deputy Premier and Defense Minister, also sent a congratulatory message to Rowhani.
Leaders of UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman have also congratulated the new Iranian President.
"We look forward to working together for the good of this region and the Emirati and Iranian peoples," UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al-Nahyan said in a message to Rowhani.
Oil-rich GCC countries, ruled by Sunni monarchs, have been wary of their Shia neighbor, mainly over its nuclear ambitions.
The 56-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) also congratulated the Iranian leader and wished him every success in administering the country's affairs. "Iran is one of OIC's founding members and an active member of the organization," OIC Secretary-General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said.
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