RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema and Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal are looking to Iran to play a diplomatic role in the Middle East.
"We hope that Iran will be determined to solve regional problems since it is a large country with a significant influence," D'Alema told journalists Saturday in Riyadh, Arab News reported.
Al-Faisal said Saudi Arabia would not use oil as a weapon if an oil crisis were to result from any actions taken in Iran to protest sanctions imposed against it because its nuclear program, Arab News reported.
"We do not consider oil a weapon," he said. "Oil is a resource used for the welfare of our people and the people of oil-producing and oil-importing countries."
Al-Faisal said he looked forward to U.S. Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice's visit to promote President Bush's new strategy in Iraq. He said that Saudi Arabia "was already involved in Iraq."
