Kuwait is keen to find a common ground to bring together the two main regional powers, said the source, explaining, "Kuwait is a historic ally of Saudi Arabia. There are brotherly relations and its ties with Iran are good — no tensions. Therefore, they can add to the efforts already exerted to help reach a compromise."

A source close to the Kuwaiti delegation told Al-Monitor that the most important meeting on the agenda will be with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Hussein Amir-Abdollahian told Al-Monitor, "The visit is also aimed at unifying efforts against extremism and sectarianism in the region. President Rouhani looks forward to a collective effort. He discussed this before in Oman, and now he’ll do so with the Kuwaiti emir."

A case in point is this week's visit by the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who arrived in Iran on June 1. The visit is being described as historic, the first such trip since he became emir in 2006, and comes in the context of a gradual improvement in bilateral ties.

TEHRAN, Iran — Murmurings on the opposite sides of the Gulf are getting louder. Iran and its Gulf neighbors are rebuilding burnt bridges despite numerous policy differences, especially between Iran and Saudi Arabia and over Syria. While no one is predicting a breakthrough, there are clear signs of a thaw since last year’s election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose administration has given priority to improving ties with the Arab Gulf states.

He added, "Sheikh Sabah has two messages: one on how to normalize ties and diffuse tensions with the Gulf states, and the other on how to solve the Syrian crisis."

The June 2 meeting with Khamenei, according to the supreme leader's website, was very positive. A statement quoted Sabah as saying, "Kuwait is fully ready to open a new chapter in the two countries' relations,” and adding that during his meetings with senior Iranian officials the two sides have agreed to boost the level of their economic and trade ties. He also expressed the hope that the Syrian crisis would be resolved in a peaceful manner and on the basis of people's views and aspirations. According to the statement, Khamenei told the emir of Kuwait, “The Islamic Republic of Iran has always been after healthy relations with its neighbors in the Persian Gulf and is now pursuing the very same policy. The closeness of the regional states and healthy relations among them are beneficial to the entire region, but if this principle isn’t respected, differences and rifts among them will please the common enemies."

On this, Amir-Abdollahian emphasized, "Any high-level meeting between the gulf countries and us will enhance stability and peace and promote relations. We see that all the countries here are important, but we believe also that relations between Tehran and Riyadh can help more in putting an end to conflicts in the region. All countries in the region, due to the threats, are exerting efforts to make better relations and to try to put an end to any conflicts."

The Iranian official confirmed that former President Hashemi Rafsanjani had been invited to visit Saudi Arabia. He said, "This invitation is on our agenda but it needs some arrangements. Regarding our relations with Saudi Arabia, any invitation and any visit should be organized carefully, and both Foreign Ministries are working hard to do this. Our countries are very important in the region and we’ve been working together, and we held meetings, and we wish such meetings will continue."

Another two invitations have been extended to Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif: one to pay an official visit and another to attend the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC) meetings in Jeddah.

Zarif said he will not be able to attend the OIC meeting because it coincides with the nuclear negotiations, but this doesn't mean Iran will be absent. An undersecretary will have to represent Tehran in the meetings unless the issues are determined not to be mature enough for a public meeting.

There are several other outstanding files between Riyadh and Tehran, including Syria, Yemen, Bahrain and Lebanon.

Tehran believes that the Saudi decision to intervene militarily in Bahrain in 2011 to put down what had become mostly peaceful demonstrations for reform, in what was termed as Operation Peninsular Shield by the Gulf Cooperation Council, complicated the situation there.

"We presented an initiative for solution there and we believe that internal dialogue can help both sides reach a solution," said Amir-Abdollahian, who previously served as Iran’s ambassador to Bahrain, adding, "We believe, too, that some extremists within the regime are hindering the king and his heir’s efforts to start some constructive steps. We believe that the circumstances surrounding both the king and his son are very difficult, but Iran has always suggested that it can help arrive at a solution."

Another tough issue between Riyadh and Tehran is Yemen. Riyadh is concerned with the power the Houthis are gaining there. They believe the Iranians are backing them, though Iran denies this, claiming that it maintains an equal distance from all Yemeni factions.

Neither the Yemeni nor the Bahraini files can compete with the sensitivity and importance of the Syrian crisis, in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are fighting a proxy war to ensure the future state will be in their bloc. The Iranians accuse the Saudis of financing and backing armed groups fighting the government for the last three years, while the Saudis claim that Iran is launching a sectarian war to keep its ally, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, in power despite popular calls for him to step down.

The Iranian-Saudi war in Syria has spilled out to other regions where both countries share influence. Bloodshed has occurred almost everywhere, prompting everyone to start looking for a solution, no matter the price.