Iran Ready To Send Ambassador To Saudi Arabia 'Tomorrow' - Foreign Minister

Iran stands ready to send an ambassador to Saudi Arabia as soon as possible following over five years of no diplomatic relations, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th June, 2021) Iran stands ready to send an ambassador to Saudi Arabia as soon as possible following over five years of no diplomatic relations, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Saturday.

In April, Financial Times reported, citing sources, that the two countries were negotiating restoring the relations and held the first meeting among officials on April 9.

"We have had three rounds of talks in Baghdad. And now everybody is waiting for [the results of] the presidential election," Zarif said during the Antalya Diplomatic Forum, adding "I am ready to send an ambassador to Saudi Arabia tomorrow.

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In response to the question of whether this would really happen, the minister said that "it depends on them."

Zarif added that there is no reason why the two countries cannot resolve the contradictions between them.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran soared in January 2016 following Riyadh's decision to execute Shia cleric Ayatollah Nimr al-Nimr, who criticized the Gulf monarchy's authorities. On the same day, crowds of Iranians broke into the territory of Saudi Arabia's embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad. In response, Riyadh cut the relations with Tehran.