Iran, Saudi FMs meet in China for first time in seven years

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, met in China a month after the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations under a China-brokered deal.

The top Iranian and Saudi diplomats met in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on Thursday morning.

Afterward, the two ministers presided over a meeting between the delegations of the two countries.

The two sides stressed the importance of the official restoration of mutual relations and discussed executive steps to reopen embassies in Tehran and Riyadh as well as missions in the Iranian city of Mashhad and the Saudi city of Jeddah.

They also exchanged views about certain issues pertaining to Tehran-Riyadh relations.

During the meeting, the Iranian foreign minister said Tehran and Riyadh have resumed their official relations, adding that bilateral talks and the exchange of messages between Iran’s President Ebrahim Raeisi and Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud expose that both sides are determined to expand ties.

Amir-Abdollahian stressed the importance of promoting trade, economic and investment cooperation and voiced Iran’s readiness to hold a meeting of the joint economic commission.

He noted that the expansion of economic and investment interaction can help the two countries consolidate their relations. “Iran’s geopolitical position provides Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf littoral states with a unique opportunity to [enhance] trade cooperation with Iran’s northern states,” he said.

The Saudi foreign minister, for his part, said a new chapter has opened in cordial relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

He added that Saudi Arabia is ready to implement the agreements with Iran and welcomed the exchange of high-ranking delegations between the two countries in this regard.

Meanwhile, Amir-Abdollahian also plans to meet with his Chinese counterpart Qin Gang to discuss ways to promote bilateral cooperation and issues of common concern in regional and international fields.

The meeting between Iranian and Saudi delegations follows three telephone conversations between Amir-Abdollahian and Al Saud, during which they discussed future steps regarding the landmark China-mediated reconciliation pact as well as other bilateral deals.

Beijing was chosen as the venue for the meeting as an extension of its positive role in mediating the Iran-Saudi rapprochement and facilitating communication between the two Middle Eastern powers.

After several days of intensive negotiations hosted by China, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed on March 10 to resume their diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and diplomatic missions after seven years of estrangement.

Iran, Saudi FMs agree to meet 'in coming days'

Foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia agree to meet within the next few days.

In a joint statement after signing the agreement, Tehran and Riyadh highlighted the need to respect each others’ national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of one another.

They agreed to implement a security cooperation agreement signed in April 2001 and another accord reached in May 1998 to boost economic, commercial, investment, technical, scientific, cultural, sports, and youth affairs cooperation.

To the dismay of the US and Israel, the detente has the potential to ease tensions across a region characterized by turbulence for decades.

Meanwhile, President Raeisi has already accepted an invitation from King Salman to visit Riyadh.

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