According to the Saudi Arabian news agency SPA, a “technical delegation” from Saudi Arabia met with the chief of protocol at the Iranian foreign ministry in Tehran to discuss the reopening of the embassy and consulates. He had promised the delegation any support for their mission.
Diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran have been suspended for seven years after protesters in Iran attacked Saudi Arabian embassies following the execution of a Shia cleric in Riyadh.
Mediated by China, the two rival regional powers agreed on March 10 to resume diplomatic relations. The foreign ministers of both countries then met in Beijing last Thursday to initiate the normalization of their relations.
According to current plans, this is to be formally sealed during a visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Riyadh at the end of April after the Islamic month of fasting, Ramadan.
The China-brokered deal sees Iran and Saudi Arabia reopening their embassies in each other’s countries. In addition, the two regional powers want to revive their economic relations.
The deal was a diplomatic success for Chinese President Xi Jinping, who has stepped up his push for China to play a more active role in international affairs. Internationally, the agreement met with largely positive reactions.
The rapprochement between Sunni-Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest oil exporter, and Shia-majority Iran, which is under Western sanctions for its nuclear program, has the potential to reshape the balance of power in a region marked by decades of unrest. China’s success in mediating between the two previously warring states is challenging the role of the US as the traditional mediator between the powers in the Middle East.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are vying for influence in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. They also play a crucial role in the Yemen conflict: While Tehran supports the Houthi rebels, Riyadh is leading a coalition with the United Arab Emirates, which is supporting the government in Yemen and has been conducting massive airstrikes in the country for years.
Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement has fueled hopes of easing tensions in Yemen. On Saturday, mediators from Oman arrived in the Yemeni capital Sana’a to discuss a new ceasefire between the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia, a source at the airport said.
Oman has gained a reputation as a discreet mediator in Gulf disputes, which often involve Iran. Last year, the conflicting parties in Yemen agreed on a six-month ceasefire. However, the agreement expired at the beginning of October and was not renewed.
