Iranian embassy reopening in Saudi Arabia ahead of Hajj pilgrimage
2 Min Read
This comes after a Riyadh diplomatic source relayed to AFP that the reopening of the embassy is due to take place on June 6 at 6:00 pm local time.
-
Women walk past the closed Iranian embassy in the diplomatic quarter of the Saudi capital Riyadh, on April 11, 2023 (AFP)
The Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani confirmed on Monday that the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Riyadh and the Consulate General in Jeddah started their practical operations ahead of the departure of the Iranian Hajj pilgrims.
Kanaani added that the missions in Riyadh and Jeddah will officially reopen in attendance of top Iranain and Saudi diplomats.
This comes after a Riyadh diplomatic source relayed to AFP that the reopening of the Iranian embassy is due to take place on June 6 at 6:00 pm local time (1500 GMT), and the newly appointed Iranian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia is expected to be present.
In an interview last week, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian indicated that relations with neighbors are a priority in the government's foreign policy, pointing out that this is the reason Iran held security negotiations in Iraq and Oman for several months.
Read next: UAE withdraws from US-led Middle East Maritime Security Alliance
After seven years of strained diplomatic relations, China brokered an agreement on the restoration of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the reopening of their embassies and diplomatic missions.
However, the US was not a happy camper, as expected, in light of the recent developments and tie-building between both nations.
Breaking Defense quoted a US military official as saying that an Iranian declaration that Tehran would soon establish a naval alliance with Saudi Arabia and other Gulf nations “defies reason".
That came in response to Iranian Navy Commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani's remarks on Saturday during which he revealed that Iran's navy and regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and Iraq will establish a new naval coalition soon.
