Saudi Arabia, Iran resume talks on road to restoring relations
The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran met on April 6, for the first time, less than a month after the success of Chinese mediation in restoring diplomatic relations between their two countries, after a seven-year break.
During the meeting, which was held in Beijing, the two ministers exchanged views on the resumption of relations between their two countries.
They also discussed the reopening of the embassies and consulates of the two countries.
The two ministers also discussed a number of other bilateral issues of common interest.
Consultations
During this strategic meeting, which comes after a series of telephone talks since last March, Saudi minister Faisal bin Farhan invited his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir-Abdollahian to visit Saudi Arabia and hold a bilateral meeting in the capital Riyadh.
In turn, the Iranian minister invited his Saudi counterpart to visit Iran with the aim of intensifying meetings and complete consultations between the two sides.
Among the key points agreed by the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran are the resumption of flights, mutual visits of official delegations and the private sector, and facilitating visas to the citizens of the two countries, including for pilgrimage purposes, according to Iranian and Saudi media.
It is worth noting that on March 10, China came out to announce the conclusion of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran under its auspices in Beijing.
The agreement restores diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Nevertheless, the same agreement drew mixed reactions at the international level. Some people expected it to contribute to solving crises in the Arab region, especially Yemen, Syria, Libya, and restore stability to the region.
Other parties, including the US, however, demonstrated cautious welcome the agreement.
Gulf rapprochement
It should be noted that within the framework of Tehran and Riyadh's efforts to resume diplomatic relations, the rapprochement between Iran and some Gulf Cooperation Council countries has strengthened and some of these countries have expressed their desire for rapprochement with Tehran, including Bahrain.
The mullahs' regime has appointed a new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates.
Conditional meeting
Iranian affairs specialist Masoud Ibrahim Hassan said the meeting of the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers comes within the framework of the agreement held between the two countries last March.
"It also confirms the desire of the parties to resume relations, which is conditional on the seriousness of the Iranian regime's commitment to what came in this initiative, which is the condition of non-interference in the internal affairs of states, as a key pillar for the success of the agreement," he told The Reference.
He added that Saudi Arabia has a definite desire to end the conflict with Tehran.
This, he added, has a positive impact on a number of issues in the region, especially in relation to the war in Yemen.
