BEIJING – In a historic development, Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to reopen embassies and resume bilateral flights.
The announcement was made after first formal meeting was held between the Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in seven years in Beijing.
Saudi Arabia’s state-run broadcaster Al Ekhbariya released brief footage of the meeting on Twitter on Thursday showing both ministers shaking hands and smiling in front of a traditional Chinese painting as well as the flags of their respective countries.
فيديو | موفد #الإخبارية إلى بكين عبد الله الرويس: لقاء يجمع وزير الخارجية الأمير فيصل بن فرحان ووزير الخارجية الإيراني حسين أمير عبد اللهيان pic.twitter.com/rz80Vz7VAB
— قناة الإخبارية (@alekhbariyatv) April 6, 2023
A joint statement issued after the meeting, said the foreign ministers emphasized the importance of following up on the implementation of the Beijing Agreement and its activation in a way that enhances mutual trust, expands the fields of cooperation and helps create security, stability and prosperity in the region.
The Kingdom and Iran have also agreed to reopen their diplomatic missions within 60 days of resuming ties, and will proceed with the necessary measures to ensure that happens in Riyadh and Tehran, as well as in Jeddah and Mashaad, where their general consulates were previously stationed.
China facilitated the historic accord by bringing the sides together.
Riyadh cut official relations with Tehran when Iranian protestors assaulted Saudi diplomatic offices in 2016 in response to Saudi Arabia’s execution of Shia Muslim cleric Nimr al-Nimr, one of several flashpoints between the two long-standing regional rivals.
Pakistan welcomes normalisation of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran
