Top diplomats of Saudi, Iran agree to meet ahead of reopening of embassies

Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian spoke by phone to mark the occasion of Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Saudi media say.

The deal between the region's powerful countries was brokered by China.
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The deal between the region's powerful countries was brokered by China.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, have agreed in a phone call to meet soon and pave the way for the re-opening of embassies between the two countries, Saudi state news agency SPA said.

Both ministers spoke by phone to mark the occasion of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, SPA said on Thursday.

Earlier this month, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish relations after years of hostility that had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.

The deal between the region's powerful countries, brokered by China, was announced after four days of previously undisclosed talks in Beijing between top security officials from the two rival 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 Riyadh's execution of a Shiae Muslim cleric.

The kingdom also has blamed Iran for missile and drone attacks on its oil facilities in 2019 as well as attacks on tankers in Gulf waters. 

Iran denied the charges.

Saudi investments in Iran

Last week, Saudi Arabia's Finance Minister Mohammed Al Jadaan said that Saudi investments into Iran could happen "very quickly" following an agreement to restore diplomatic ties.

"There are a lot of opportunities for Saudi investments in Iran. We don't see impediments as long as the terms of any agreement would be respected," Al Jadaan said during the Financial Sector Conference in Riyadh.

"Stability in the region is very important, for the world and for the countries in the region, and we have always said that Iran is our neighbour and we have no interest to have a conflict with our neighbours, if they are willing to cooperate," Al Jadaan said.

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