Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi Arabia counterpart Faisal bin Farhan on Thursday issued a joint statement following high level talks held in the Chinese capital, Beijing.
The diplomats reiterated their earlier agreements to open embassies in Riyadh and Tehran, and consulates in Jeddah and Mashhad. They expressed a strong desire to find ways to achieve common interests in strategic areas of cooperation.
“HH the Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan also appreciated the positive role of the People’s Republic of China in reaching the Saudi-Iranian agreement, in a way that achieves security and stability for the two countries,” the Saudi Ministry said.
Last month, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia reached an agreement to normalize relations between the two countries and open embassies within two months, during negotiations mediated by China.
Relations between Riyadh and Tehran became strained in March 2015 after a Saudi-led coalition had launched a military operation in Yemen against the Ansar Allah (Houthi) movement.
Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after its embassy in Tehran and a consulate in Mashhad were attacked by crowds protesting against the execution in Riyadh of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric.
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