TEHRAN: Iran’s foreign ministry announced on Sunday that a delegation would visit the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Friday to pave the way for reopening its diplomatic missions in Tehran, following a similar move by Saudi Arabia.
The announcement comes after a historic meeting between the two Gulf countries’ foreign ministers in China and a Saudi delegation’s arrival in Tehran for a similar diplomatic trip.
In an interview with state television, Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Enayati said two separate delegations would go to Riyadh and Jeddah before reopening Iran’s embassy and consulate, respectively.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met in Beijing last week after Tehran and Riyadh agreed to restore diplomatic ties last month.
In a joint statement, the foreign ministers pledged to bring back security and stability to the turbulent Gulf region.
Conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia
The two Middle East countries had held several rounds of talks in Iraq and Oman before reaching the deal in Beijing, negotiated over five days between the secretary of the Iranian Supreme National Security Council, Ali Shamkhani and his Saudi Arabian counterpart Musaad bin Mohammad Al-Aiban.
The move towards reopening diplomatic missions is seen as a significant step in reducing tensions between the two countries, which have been at odds for years.
Hopefully, this will pave the way for further discussions and cooperation in resolving regional conflicts and restoring stability in the Gulf.
