Saudi Arabia, Iran to Launch Arrangements on Reopening of Embassies and Consulates

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, meet in Beijing. SPA
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, meet in Beijing. SPA
TT

Saudi Arabia, Iran to Launch Arrangements on Reopening of Embassies and Consulates

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, meet in Beijing. SPA
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, meet in Beijing. SPA

Saudi Arabia and Iran said in a joint statement on Thursday that their agreement in Beijing last month would help bring "security and stability" to the Middle East, adding that they would launch arrangements to reopen missions within the two-month period stipulated in the deal.

Riyadh and Tehran agreed to resume diplomatic ties and re-open embassies in a major deal facilitated by China last month.

"The two sides emphasized the importance of following up on the implementation of the Beijing Agreement and its activation in a way that expands mutual trust and the fields of cooperation and helps create security, stability and prosperity in the region," said a statement issued on Thursday after a meeting between Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, in Beijing.

Saudi Arabia and Iran also said in the joint statement they would launch arrangements to reopen embassies and consulates within the two-month period stipulated in the deal.

"The technical teams will continue coordination to examine 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," they added.

Tehran and Riyadh, according to the joint statement, also underlined the importance of reviving a security pact signed in 2001.



Syria’s Leader Meets with Bahraini Diplomatic Delegation

The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
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Syria’s Leader Meets with Bahraini Diplomatic Delegation

The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)
The leader of Syria's new administration, Ahmed al-Sharaa meets Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al-Zayani in Damascus, Syria, January 8, 2025. (Bahrain News Agency/Handout via Reuters)

Syria's de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa received a delegation from Bahrain on Wednesday and met with the Bahraini foreign minister, state media reported.

The visit was the latest in a flurry of diplomatic overtures by Arab countries to Syria’s new leaders after they overthrew former President Bashar al-Assad in a lightning rebel offensive.

Like other Gulf countries, Bahrain had cut off diplomatic ties with Syria under Assad’s rule during the Syrian civil war, but it reopened its embassy in Damascus in 2018 and gradually restored ties with the Assad government.

Bahrain is the current head of the Arab summit, and days after Assad’s ouster it had sent a message to al-Sharaa offering its cooperation with the new authorities and saying, “We look forward to Syria regaining its authentic role in the Arab League.”