The two countries had broken their ties over seven years ago. At the end of talks organized by Beijing, they announced on Friday the reopening of diplomatic representations within two months
The world with AFP
Iran and Saudi Arabia, heavy goods vehicles of the Middle East having broken their links in 2016, announced on Friday March 10, the restoration of their diplomatic relations after talks in China. Embassies and diplomatic representations must reopen within two months, wrote the press agency of the Islamic Republic (or IRNA, for Islamic Republic News Agency, in English) in a joint press release published by the State Media of the two countries.
According to IRNA, Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, went on Monday to Beijing “for intensive negotiations with his Saudi counterpart in China aimed at finally solving disputes between Tehran and Riyadh” . In mid-February, Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi, had made a three-day state visit to China, the first of an Iranian president in this country for more than twenty years.
Forces Rivals
Saudi Arabia, Sunni, and Iran, Shiite, broke their ties over seven years ago, following the attack on Saudi diplomatic missions by demonstrators in the Islamic Republic in retaliation of The execution by Riyadh of a famous Shiite religious, Nimr al-Nimr. Other Gulf countries, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain had subsequently reduced their diplomatic links with Tehran to support Riyadh. In recent months, the Emirates and Kuwait have resumed their diplomatic relations with Iran.
Tehran and Riyadh support rival forces in several regional conflicts, notably in Yemen. Iran has a preponderant influence in Iraq and Lebanon and militarily and politically supports the Syrian regime. Beijing signed in 2021 a vast strategic agreement over the age of twenty-five years with Tehran in fields as varied as energy, security, infrastructure and communications.