TEHRAN: Iran and Saudi Arabia took a further step to seal their reconciliation as Riyadh’s top diplomat made a landmark visit to the Islamic republic on Saturday following a seven-year rupture.

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan held talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian focusing on regional security, and was also to meet President Ebrahim Raisi.

Earlier on June 6, Iran reopened its embassy and consulate in Saudi Arabia and the kingdom is expected to reopen its diplomatic mission in Tehran “soon”, Prince Faisal said.

“I would like to point out the importance of cooperation between our two countries concerning the regional security, especially the security of maritime navigation and waterways,” Prince Faisal said at a joint news conference with Amir-Abdollahian.

The Iranian foreign minister told reporters they had discussing ways of bolstering cooperation in the fields of security, economy, tourism and transportation. He stressed regional security would be “ensured by regional actors only” without external interference.

“Our relations are based on a clear foundation of full and mutual respect for independence, sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs,” Prince Faisal added.

The Saudi foreign minister said he would extend an invitation to President Raisi “to visit the kingdom soon”.

Prince Faisal was the first Saudi foreign minister to visit Iran since 2006.

Iran, Saudi ties

Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran in 2016 after Riyadh’s execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimr leading to protests in Tehran and Masshad where its embassy and consulate were attacked. But the two countries agreed in March this year to mend ties and reopen their respective embassies, in a Chinese-brokered deal that has shifted regional relations.

While Iran reopened its embassy in Saudi Arabia, the reopening of the Saudi embassy in Tehran has been delayed due to the poor condition of the building, which was damaged during the 2016 protests.

Published in Dawn, June 18th, 2023