Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan visited Iran for the first time since the two countries reconciled after a seven-year rupture, to discuss reopening diplomatic missions in Tehran.
Iran and Saudi Arabia took a further step Saturday to seal their reconciliation as Riyadh’s top diplomat made a landmark visit to the Islamic republic 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.
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
But the two countries agreed in March to mend ties and reopen their respective embassies, in a Chinese-brokered deal that has shifted regional relations.
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.
But Amir-Abdollahian stressed Iran’s view that “regional security will 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 Raisi “to visit the kingdom soon”.
Prince Faisal was the first Saudi foreign minister to visit Iran since 2006 when the late Saudi top diplomat Prince Saudi al-Faisal made a trip to Tehran.
Miroslava Salazar with AFP
