TEHRAN, IRAN (AP)– In an important development for Middle East diplomacy, Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, landed in Iran’s capital Tehran on Saturday to sign diplomatic ties between the two regional rivals. was an important step in the recovery of Iranian state media reported that Prince Faisal received a warm welcome from Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amiravdrahian. The Saudi Foreign Minister has passed on a message from the Saudi King to Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, and the two leaders are expected to meet later on the same day.
The visit follows US Secretary of State Anthony Brinken’s visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this month. Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in March to resume diplomatic ties and reopen embassies after seven years of tension. Today, Prince Faisal will officially open the Saudi embassy in Tehran. According to Iran TV, embassy staff will be working from hotels in Tehran until the embassy is fully operational.
The recent reopening of diplomatic missions in both countries marked an important milestone in efforts to restore relations.
The breakthrough in restoring ties was made possible by China, which has played a key role in reducing the likelihood of further conflict between Riyadh and Tehran through its direct and proxy engagements in the region.
Iran has been accused of several attacks in recent years, most notably following the 2018 US unilateral withdrawal from the nuclear deal with Iran and other world powers. In 2019, a notable attack on Saudi Arabia’s oil industry led to a temporary halving of the country’s crude oil production.
Relations between Shiite-majority Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia have been historically fraught with tension. Relations were severed in 2016 when a Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran was attacked by demonstrators. The demonstrations were sparked by Saudi Arabia’s execution of 46 prominent Shiite cleric.
Restoring ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran promises greater regional stability, reduces tensions, and reduces the risk of further escalation. This diplomatic effort marks a positive step towards dialogue and cooperation between the two countries with great influence in the Middle East.
