Saudi Arabia and Iran’s Foreign Ministers met in Beijing on Thursday to discuss the resumption of their diplomatic relations after a landmark agreement was made last month through mediation by China. This was the highest-level meeting between the two countries in over seven years. In the meeting, an agreement to reopen embassies and consulates in their mutual countries was signed by Iran’s Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal Farhan Al Saud.
The two countries, who previously severed diplomatic ties in 2016, agreed to look into ways to expand their cooperation. The suggested tactics include resuming flights, mutual trips from official delegations and the private sector and facilitating visas. Embassies will be opened in Riyadh and Tehran and consulates will be reopened in Jeddah and Mashhad.