Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Iran arrived Tuesday in Tehran, and his counterpart landed in Riyadh, restoring ties between the Gulf rivals after a seven-year hiatus.
Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to renew diplomatic relations and reopen their respective embassies following a China-brokered deal introduced in March.
Riyadh and Tehran severed ties in 2016 after Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran had been attacked throughout protests over Riyadh’s execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
Saudi Arabia’s management acknowledges the “importance of strengthening ties, increasing engagement… and taking the (relationship) to broader horizons,” Ambassador Abdullah Alanazi mentioned upon his arrival in Tehran to take up his duties, in response to a Saudi Foreign Ministry assertion.
Also on Tuesday, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, arrived within the capital Riyadh the place he was obtained by overseas ministry officers and embassy employees, in response to Iran’s official IRNA news company.
Alanazi was previously Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Oman, whereas Enyati was beforehand Iran’s Kuwait envoy.
Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran resumed operations final month. In June, Iran marked the reopening of its embassy in Riyadh with a flag-raising ceremony.
Last month Iran’s prime diplomat, Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, preached unity and dialogue throughout his first go to to Saudi Arabia for the reason that shock rapprochement was introduced, saying bilateral ties had been “progressing in the right direction”.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have backed opposing sides in battle zones throughout the Middle East for years.
Since the March deal, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Iranian ally Syria and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, the place it has for years led a army coalition in opposition to the Iran-backed insurgent forces.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
