Iran to reopen embassy in Riyadh by late May: MFA
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Iran is set to have its embassy in Saudi Arabia reopened by the end of next month amid warming relations between the two countries.
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Chinese Office of the Central Foreign Affairs CommiIranian NSC chief Ali Shamkhani and Saudi Minister of State Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban in Beijing, China March 10, 2023 (Reuters)
Tehran attempts to reopen its embassy in Riyadh and consulate in Jeddah before Hajj-ul-Tamattu, a period between Hajj and Umrah, and by late May, the director general of Iran's Foreign Ministry Office for Persian Gulf Affairs Alireza Enayati said Tuesday, Iranian media reported.
"In the framework of an agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reopen the embassies in Tehran and Riyadh and consulates in Mashhad and Jeddah, a delegation from Saudi Arabia arrived in Tehran on Saturday and visited the kingdom's embassy in Tehran," the Iranian official told the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA) in an exclusive interview.
"This delegation also traveled to Mashhad to visit their country’s consulate," the Iranian official said, noting that "we are trying to reopen our embassy in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah before the arrival of Hajj-ul-Tamattu by late May."
"Two separate delegations from Iran will travel to Riyadh and Jeddah in the coming days to visit the Iranian embassy and consulate in these two cities," he revealed.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that initial steps to appoint ambassadors between Saudi Arabia and Iran were taking place and that a delegation from Tehran would travel to Riyadh on April 11 to prepare the opening of the Iranian embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital and the consulate in Jeddah.
"The initial steps between Iran and Saudi Arabia to appoint ambassadors have been made," he said, as quoted by the Iranian news agency ISNA.
Last week, Saudi technical specialists landed in Tehran to prepare for the opening of the Saudi Arabia embassy and the consulate general in Mashhad.
These measures are carried out within the framework of the Chinese-brokered agreement on restoring the two countries' diplomatic relations, which was concluded on March 10.
"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 spokesperson added.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, met Thursday in China and signed an agreement to restore diplomatic ties and prepare for the opening of embassies.
"The technical teams will continue coordination to examine the ways of expanding cooperation including the resumption of flights and bilateral visits of official and private sector delegations and facilitating the granting of visas for the citizens of the two countries," the joint statement read.
