Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday hailed the significant role of Saudi Arabia as a major regional state with a massive influence on the Islamic world.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif on Sunday hailed the significant role of Saudi Arabia as a major regional state with a massive influence on the Islamic world, state-run IRNA news agency reported.

Speaking at a joint press conference with his visiting Finnish counterpart Erkki Tuomioja, Zarif said that Iran always gives top priority to good-neighboring relations with the regional and neighboring states, particularly Saudi Arabia which plays a key role in the region.

He added that a recent visit to Saudi Arabia by Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister for Arab-African Affairs Hussein Amir-Abdollahian had taken place in line with Tehran's policy of having friendly relations with neighboring states.

Abdollahian arrived in Riyadh on August 25 in what was the first visit to Saudi Arabia by a senior Iranian official since the June 2013 election of President Sheikh Hassan Rouhani.

Zarif expressed willingness to meet with his Saudi counterpart Crown Prince Saud al-Faisal.

The Iranian diplomat hoped he will find the chance for such meeting in a near future, for instance, on the sidelines of the upcoming meeting of UN General Assemblyin New York.

The 69th Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA 69) will convene at UN Headquarters on September 16.

Tuomioja arrived in Tehran on Saturday night to discuss issues of mutual interests with senior Iranian officials.

Iran and Saudi Arabia share common interests and face common threats including extremism, violence and terrorism in the Islamic world, Zarif stressed, noting that the two capitals should face those threats as a single power.

The Iranian minister also said that the threat of terrorism and extremism will not be limited only to a specific group or country in the Middle East region but, instead, it can spread over other areas outside the region even to various Asian or American states.

Zarif expressed hope that the Iranian diplomats talks could be considered as the basis for Tehran-Riyadh future cooperation.

Expressing willingness to visit Saudi Arabia, Zarif said he would also welcome a visit to Tehran by Prince Saud al-Faisal.