Iran has reopened its long-shut embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, following seven years of severed diplomatic relations. The renewal of ties comes amid a warmer regional atmosphere, with Syria also being set to reopen its embassy in Riyadh.
Iran reopened on Tuesday its embassy in Saudi Arabia after a seven-year closure, reaffirming a Chinese-brokered rapprochement that has redrawn the region’s diplomatic map.
The Iranian mission resumes in its former premises in Riyadh’s diplomatic quarter, near Syria’s embassy, which is also expected to reopen soon following Saudi outreach to Damascus.
In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restart their respective embassies and work towards resuming ties, after Riyadh in 2016 broke off relations following Iranian protests.
Saudi Arabia has yet to confirm when it will open its embassy in Tehran or its pick for ambassador, although a Saudi delegation visited the Iranian capital in April.
Tuesday’s reopening coincides with a visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to Saudi Arabia, which comes as the oil-rich kingdom has been forging closer relations with Washington’s rivals.
The mission returns under the leadership of Alireza Enayati, Iran’s former ambassador to Kuwait.
Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia severed relations with Shiite-led Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran and consulate in the northwestern city of Mashhad were attacked during protests over Riyadh’s execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
After years of discord, the two Middle East heavyweights signed a surprise reconciliation agreement in China on March 10.
Since then, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Tehran ally Syria and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, where it has for years led a military coalition against the Iran-backed Huthi forces.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have backed opposing sides in conflict zones across the Middle East for years.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
