Beijing Welcomes Improvement of Saudi-Iranian Relations

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with the heads of the two negotiating delegations, Saudi Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban and Iranian Ali Shamkhani, after signing the agreement document on March 10 (Reuters)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with the heads of the two negotiating delegations, Saudi Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban and Iranian Ali Shamkhani, after signing the agreement document on March 10 (Reuters)
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Beijing Welcomes Improvement of Saudi-Iranian Relations

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with the heads of the two negotiating delegations, Saudi Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban and Iranian Ali Shamkhani, after signing the agreement document on March 10 (Reuters)
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi with the heads of the two negotiating delegations, Saudi Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban and Iranian Ali Shamkhani, after signing the agreement document on March 10 (Reuters)

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday expressed Beijing’s satisfaction with the steps taken by Saudi Arabia and Iran to improve relations and lead a “wave of reconciliation” in the Middle East, since the Chinese-brokered agreement five months ago.

China “appreciates the correct decision made by the Iranian side,” Wang Yi said in a statement on Monday, adding that Beijing would continue to support the Middle East countries to explore development, in line with their own national conditions.

The minister pointed to the stalled negotiations between Iran and major powers on reviving the 2015 nuclear deal. He believed that only by returning to the comprehensive and effective implementation of the nuclear deal can a fundamental solution to the Iranian nuclear issue be reached, Reuters reported.

Wang Yi directly supervised the intense Saudi-Iranian negotiations that took place in March, between Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of State and member of the Council of Ministers, and Ali Shamkhani, former Secretary-General of the Iranian National Security Council, under the initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The Chinese foreign minister’s statement came hours after a phone call between Wang Yi and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, on the memorandum of comprehensive cooperation between the two sides. The Iranian Foreign Ministry quoted Amir-Abdollahian as saying that the comprehensive plan for cooperation between Iran and China for a period of 25 years “is on the right track.”

The agreement came days after Amir-Abdollahian’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the first by a senior Iranian official to Riyadh after 7 years of diplomatic rupture between the two countries.

China played a pivotal role in signing the agreement to resume relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said in a press conference on Monday that the Saudi-Iranian joint economic committee would convene soon, noting that the two sides discussed trade and customs cooperation.

He added that discussions between Prince Mohammad bin Salman and Amir-Abdollahian were “diverse, detailed and positive”, adding that the talks were progressing and could represent a new horizon in Iranian-Saudi relations.



Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
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Syrian President Begins Gulf Tour Following Easing of International Sanctions

A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT
A handout photo made available by the UAE's Presidential Court shows President of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Emirate of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) and Syrian President Ahmed Al Sharaa (L) shake hands during their meeting in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 07 July 2025. EPA/THE UAE PRESIDENTIAL COURT /HANDOUT

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has begun a tour of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, marking his second visit to the region and his first since most international sanctions on Syria were lifted.

The trip, which began in the United Arab Emirates, underscores Damascus’s push to reintegrate economically and diplomatically into the Arab world after more than a decade of isolation.

According to Syria’s state news agency SANA, the tour aims to bolster economic cooperation and attract Gulf investments to support Syria’s national reconstruction and development plans.

Al-Sharaa arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where he was received by UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders held official talks focusing on post-war recovery, economic partnership, and infrastructure development.

Speaking during the meeting, al-Sharaa said Syria has “turned the page on war and division” and is now focused on building “strategic partnerships” with its Gulf neighbors. He praised the UAE’s role in supporting regional stability and expressed interest in learning from the Emirati model in sustainable development, digital transformation, and clean energy.

For his part, Sheikh Mohamed reaffirmed the UAE’s full support for Syria’s efforts to restore stability and rebuild its war-torn economy. He stressed the importance of strengthening bilateral ties, especially in key sectors such as infrastructure, investment, and technology.