RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s first ambassador to Iran since the resumption of diplomatic relations arrived in Tehran to start his new mission.
According to a Saudi state news agency, Ambassador Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi said the Saudi leadership stresses the importance of strengthening relations with Iran with more communication and meetings between the two countries.
On arrival in Tehran to take up his duties Ambassador Abdullah Alanazi said Saudi Arabia’s leadership recognizes the “importance of strengthening ties, increasing engagement … and taking the [relationship] to broader horizons”, according to a Saudi Foreign Ministry statement.
Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Alireza Enayati, also arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh where he was received by foreign ministry officials and embassy staff. Alanazi was formerly Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Oman, while Enyati was previously Iran’s Kuwait envoy.
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Saudi Arabia’s embassy in Tehran resumed operations last month. In June, Iran marked the reopening of its embassy in Riyadh with a flag-raising ceremony.
Last month Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian went on his first visit to Saudi Arabia since the surprise rapprochement and said bilateral ties were “progressing in the right direction”.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have backed opposing sides in conflict zones across the Middle East for years. Riyadh and Tehran severed ties in 2016 after Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran were attacked during protests over Riyadh’s execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
Since the March deal, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Iranian ally Syria and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, where it has for years led a military coalition against the Iran-allied Houthi forces.
Last March, China brokered a rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran, leading to a resumption of full diplomatic relations
