Iran is set to reopen its embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after a seven-year closure, with the China-brokered good relations agreement announced in March.
Reopening of the Iranian embassy in Riyadh
6 Jun 2023 - 13:05
Iran is set to reopen its embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after a seven-year closure, with the China-brokered good relations agreement announced in March.
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) - Monitoring: Saudi Arabia had severed ties with Iran following the attacks on its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad in January 2016 during protests over the execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
According to a diplomatic source in Riyadh, the reopening ceremony of the Iranian embassy is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:00 pm local time (1500 GMT). On Monday, the source confirmed to the AFP the presence of the newly-appointed Iranian ambassador at the event.
Last month, Iranian media named Alireza Enayati as the country's new envoy to Saudi Arabia. Enayati has previously served as Iran's ambassador to Kuwait and held positions such as assistant to the foreign minister and director general of Persian Gulf affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
The reconciliation between the two regional powerhouses came as a surprise when they signed an agreement in China on March 10, putting an end to years of discord. Following the agreement, Saudi Arabia has also restored diplomatic ties with Syria and intensified efforts for peace in Yemen, where it has led a military coalition for years.
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