Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed tonight to re-open diplomatic missions in their respective capitals and in additional cities, Iran’s semi-official news agency said.
The Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported the foreign ministers reached the agreement in Beijing.
The deal calls for studying the prospects of resuming flights between the two nations and facilitating the visa process for citizens of both countries. Saudi Arabia and Iran are long-time regional rivals, but have moved toward reconciliation as part of a deal brokered by China last month.
The agreement represents a new step toward reconciliation after seven years of tension, and lowers the chance of armed conflict between the Middle Eastern rivals – both directly and in proxy conflicts around the region.
The deal was brokered by Beijing. It represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states perceive the United States slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East. It also comes as diplomats have been trying to end a long war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.
