Iran, Saudi Arabia Make First Steps To Appoint Ambassadors - Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani

Muhammad Irfan Published April 10, 2023 | 08:38 PM

Iran and Saudi Arabia are in talks on restoring diplomatic relations and have started the process of appointing ambassadors, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th April, 2023) Iran and Saudi Arabia are in talks on restoring diplomatic relations and have started the process of appointing ambassadors, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday.

"The initial steps between Iran and Saudi Arabia to appoint ambassadors have been made," he said, as quoted by Iranian news agency ISNA.

Kanaani also said that a technical delegation from Tehran will leave for Riyadh on April 11 to prepare for the opening of the Iranian embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital and the consulate in Jeddah.

On Thursday, Saudi technical specialists arrived in Iran to prepare the opening of the Saudi Arabian embassy in Tehran and the consulate general in Mashhad as part of an agreement between the two countries to restore diplomatic relations.

"The recent agreements between Iran and Saudi Arabia will have a positive effect on boosting cooperation in order to improve peace and stability and on strengthening economic and trade relations between the two countries and in the region," the spokesman added.

Last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, met in China and signed an agreement on the restoration of diplomatic relations and preparation for the opening of diplomatic missions. They also agreed to resume direct flights between the two countries.

In early March, Iran and Saudi Arabia, with China's mediation, agreed to resume diplomatic ties that were severed in 2016 after Saudi Arabia's diplomatic missions in Iran had been attacked following the execution of Shiite preacher Nimr al-Nimr.