The rapprochement between Riyadh and Tehran… an anticipated visit of the Saudi Foreign Minister to Iran

In light of the ongoing Saudi-Iranian understanding, the coming days will witness the upcoming visit of the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, to Tehran next Saturday. The visit was unveiled by the Iranian Tasnim Agency, according to which the Saudi Foreign Minister is scheduled to meet with Iranian officials.

A New Visit

Last Monday, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani announced a visit by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan to Iran “soon.” He explained that with the return of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia after a seven-year break, his country had opened its embassy in Riyadh and its consulate in Jeddah. He confirmed that the Saudi Foreign Minister would visit Tehran soon, at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian, and to participate in the opening of Riyadh’s embassy there.

Relations between the two countries

On relations between the two countries last May, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian. The Saudi Press Agency reported that during the call, they reviewed bilateral relations and ways of developing them in various fields, in addition to discussing a number of topics of interest to the two countries, and the next steps in light of what was recently agreed with China. Last March 10, Riyadh and Tehran announced the resumption of diplomatic relations and the reopening of embassies in two months, following Chinese-sponsored talks in Beijing, according to a joint tripartite statement.

Continued communication

Dr. Muhammad Al-Zulfa, a Saudi political analyst and former parliamentarian, says that the continuation of communication with Iran to remove the stalemate and rupture in relations that has lasted for many years. The Kingdom’s approval of this initiative comes to open a new chapter in relations with Iran based on mutual respect, non-interference in the internal affairs of states, and not working to destabilize and destabilize the region, and instead aiming to establish bilateral relations based on these foundations, as well as participation in the renaissance and stability of the region.

The Saudi analyst added: There is no alternative to negotiations if such major issues are resolved, and this was the Kingdom’s direction from the beginning, and these were its requirements, in the first place, that Iran had to stop interfering in the affairs of others, and stop spreading terrorism and militias in the region, and that Tehran has to deal with the ocean as a state and not a revolution. Therefore, we have noticed lately that Iran, due to international pressure and the internal situation in Tehran, has become more insistent on thawing differences with Saudi Arabia, and accepting the conditions of the Kingdom; to restore these relationships.