RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s stance on Iran is “very clear” and the Kingdom does not have a back channel with the country, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al-Jubeir said, Al-Arabiya English reported on Wednesday.

“There is no back channel with Iran, because our position with regards to Iran is very clear. I just said it to you publicly. What we want is Iran to abide by the rules ... we want Iran to respect international law, we want Iran to respect the sovereignty of other countries,” Al-Jubeir said.

The minister’s comments came during a joint press conference with the Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide after they held a meeting to discuss bilateral relations and regional issues, including the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq.

Al-Jubeir also said that he had spoken to Norway’s foreign minister about the new investment opportunities that are becoming readily available in the Kingdom, as the country continues to implement its Vision 2030 reform plan.

Vision 2030 is a set of reforms, introduced by Crown Prince Muhammed Bin Salman, that aim to diversify and improve Saudi Arabia’s economy.

“We are going to open up new areas for investments and reduce our reliance on oil. And [we will] open areas such as tourism, the creation of entertainment,” Al-Jubeir said.

“We seek to empower women and the youth, we seek to instill cultural innovation and technology, tolerance, and moderation, so that the population, 70 percent of them under the age of 30, should have the ability to realize their hopes, dreams, and ambitions.” — Al-Arabiya English