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This Friday, March 10, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore relations after seven years of hostility. A decision that is already being classified as historic and that could help reduce conflicts in the Middle East.
A twist in relations between two former rivals. Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to redo their diplomatic ties and reopen their embassies after years of tensions and clashes. The determination came after four days of previously undisclosed talks in Beijing. Two security officials from the countries participated there.
Tehran and Riyadh agreed to “resume diplomatic relations between them and reopen their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months,” according to a statement issued by Iran, Saudi Arabia and China.
The text was signed by Iran’s top security official, Ali Shamkhani, and Saudi Arabia’s national security adviser, Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban.
They also agreed to activate a security cooperation agreement signed in 2001, as well as an earlier agreement on trade, economy and investment.
“The settlement includes your affirmation of the respect for the sovereignty of states and non-interference in internal affairs“, says the statement.
It is a decision that changes the course between both Middle Eastern powers, Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over the execution of a Shi’ite Muslim cleric in Riyadh.
A change in the right direction
Iran’s foreign ministerHossein Amirabdollahian, assured that the normalization of relations offers great prospects for both countries and for the Middle East.
“The neighborhood policy, as a key axis of the government’s foreign policy Iranianis moving strongly in the right direction and the diplomatic apparatus is actively behind the preparation of more regional steps,” Amirabdollahian tweeted.
بازگشت روابط میان ج.ا.ایران و عربستان سعودی بزرگی را را در دو کشور ، و جهان اسلام قرار می دهد. سیاست همسایگی محور کلیدی سیاست خارجی دولت سیزدهم ، قوت در مسیر درست پیش رود و دستگاه دیپلماسی فعالانه پس تمهید گام های های بیشتر منطقهای است.
— H. Amirabdollahian امیرعبد اللهیان (@Amirabdolahian) March 10, 2023
A senior security official Iran said Friday’s deal had been endorsed by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“That is why Shamkhani traveled to China as the representative of the supreme leader,” the official told Reuters. “The establishment wanted to show that the highest authority in Iran supported this decision.”
News in development…
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