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Iran's FM visits Saudi Arabia on first such trip in years as tensions ease

Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran's Foreign Minister, visits Riyadh on Thursday after significant reconciliation in March, aiming to strengthen ties and address crucial regional and international matters.

AA

The visit focuses on bilateral ties along with regional and international issues, according to state broadcaster / Photo: AA.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian has arrived in Riyadh, his first official Saudi trip since a landmark rapprochement in March, state media reported.

A Chinese-brokered deal saw the long-time rivals agreeing to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their respective embassies.

Shia-dominated Iran and Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia severed ties in 2016 after Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran were attacked during protests over Riyadh's execution of Shia cleric Nimr Al Nimr.

Amirabdollahian "arrived at Riyadh Airport a few minutes ago for a one-day trip and was welcomed by the deputy foreign minister of Saudi Arabia," official news agency IRNA said on Thursday.

The visit "is focusing on bilateral ties, regional and international issues", according to IRIB state broadcaster.

IRNA said Amirabdollahian was due to meet with his Saudi counterpart and other officials in the kingdom. The minister was accompanied by the new Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, the report added.

State media reported in May Tehran had named Alireza Enayati, a former ambassador to Kuwait, as the Islamic Republic's Saudi envoy.

Mending relations

In June, Prince Faisal bin Farhan became the first Saudi foreign minister to travel to Iran since 2006.

Earlier that month Iran had reopened its embassy in Riyadh with a flag-raising ceremony. On Wednesday, Iranian state media said military officials from both countries met in Moscow on the sidelines of a security conference.

Amirabdollahian has said this week that the new ambassador to Riyadh is accompanying him during Thursday's visit to "officially start his mission".

On August 9, Iran said the Saudi embassy in Tehran had begun operations, but Riyadh has yet to confirm.

Iran has intensified its diplomatic activity in recent months and pushed for closer ties with other Arab countries in a bid to reduce its isolation and improve its economy.

Since the March deal, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Iranian ally Syrian regime and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, where it has for years led a military coalition against the Iran-backed Huthi forces.