TEHRAN, June 5 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Ministry said Monday that the increasing tension in the relations among Arab states is a threat to the interests of the regional states, official IRNA news agency reported.
"Amid the threat of terrorism, extremism to the region and the world, and with the continuation of occupation of the Palestinian territories by the Israel, the rising tension among regional states benefits neither the regional nations nor governments and is a threat to the interests of all," Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman said in a statement.
The Islamic republic urges its Persian Gulf neighbors, involved in the recent political row, for "self-restraint and an increase of tension," the spokesman, Bahram Qasemi, was quoted as saying.
Qasemi's remarks came as a reaction to Monday decisions by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen and Libya to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar after they accused the latter of "terrorism support."
Political and peaceful means, straightforward and transparent talks are the only ways to settle the differences between Qatar and Saudi allies, Qasemi said.
The Iranian diplomat also dismissed the sanction approach as a means to pressure Qatar.
On Monday, Hamid Aboutalebi, Deputy Chief of Staff of the President for Political Affairs, said that cut of diplomatic ties and isolating Qatar will not help Saudi Arabia and its allies to overcome the region issues, official IRNA news agency reported.
"The age of sanctions is over, and the cut of diplomatic relations, closure of borders, siege of countries are not solutions to crisis," Aboutalebi, tweeted on Monday.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, the UAE, Yemen and Libya have no choice but to "adopt democracy inside their borders and to pursue dialogue in the region," he said.
