The Jordanian foreign minister held separate meetings with President Hassan Rouhani and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Tehran on Saturday.
In the meeting with his Iranian counterpart, Nasser Judeh pointed to Iran's crucial role in the region and said, "It would be helpful if the Arab League could establish Arab-Iranian dialogue just like the talks it holds with other states," Fars news agency reported.
The top Jordanian diplomat described consultations with Iranian officials in the current conditions as "very critical", saying, "Iran is a key state in the region, and we believe that we can make consultations and exchange views on various issues with Tehran."
Judeh referred to terrorism and extremism as the major challenges facing the region, adding, "It is not a Sunni-Shiite issue."
The Jordanian official called holding negotiations on regional issues a fundamental principle of the Arab country's foreign policy, noting, "Instability, violence and extremism have spread in the region over the past years and we believe that political stability and security should be restored very shortly."
"Therefore, we need unity and cohesion among all Muslim countries, and in this line we attach great significance to negotiations and consultations on regional issues with our brotherly Iranians."
The foreign minister, for his part, stressed the necessity for continued talks and cooperation between regional states in the campaign against extremism and terrorism, adding, "The brutal terrorist acts in the killing of the Jordanian pilot (Moaz al-Kasasbeh by the so-called Islamic State militant group) are unacceptable and are meant to tarnish the image of Islam."
"(The terrorists) besides their criminal actions, try to sow discord among us," Zarif continued.
It was the first visit of a Jordanian foreign minister to Iran in eight years. Some media outlets described the trip as a "surprise" visit.
