Saudi, Iran deputy FMs discuss ways to further bilateral ties

Deputy Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Waleed Al-Khuraiji has held a meeting in Riyadh with Alireza Bikdeli, Iran’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Consular Affairs, along with his delegation.

During the discussions, both sides expressed their mutual interest in increasing the frequency of consultative meetings. The Deputy Foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran also explored avenues of cooperation to foster further advancements in their bilateral relations, with a focus on serving the interests of both nations and their people.

As part of his visit, Bikdeli attended the reopening ceremonies of the Iranian embassy in Riyadh and the Iranian consulate in Jeddah. Following a seven-year closure, Iran reestablished its embassy on Tuesday in the Diplomatic Quarter of Riyadh.

This significant development follows a bilateral agreement facilitated by China three months ago, which paved the way for the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Notably, Iran recently appointed Alireza Enayati, an experienced diplomat, as its ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Nasser Kanaani, spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, affirmed that the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah have already commenced operations to facilitate Iranian pilgrims preparing to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage, scheduled to begin by the end of June.