The international ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Beijing on Thursday for the primary formal assembly of their high diplomats in additional than seven years, after China brokered a deal to revive ties between the regional rivals.

After years of hostility that fueled conflicts throughout the Center East, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to finish their diplomatic rift and re-open embassies in a significant deal facilitated by China final month.

Briefly footage broadcast on Iranian state TV, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, greeted one another earlier than sitting down facet by facet.

The 2 nations mentioned in a joint assertion they might launch preparations to reopen embassies and consulates inside the two-month interval stipulated within the deal final month.

“The technical groups will proceed coordination to look at the methods of increasing cooperation together with the resumption of flights and bilateral visits of official and personal sector delegations and facilitating the granting of visas for the residents of the 2 nations,” they mentioned.

In March, China’s President Xi Jinping helped dealer the shock deal between the rivals to finish a seven-year rift and restore diplomatic ties – a show of China’s rising affect within the area.

That month, Xi spoke by phone with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud about a number of points.

Iranian Overseas Minister Amirabdollahian mentioned the Thursday assembly along with his Saudi counterpart was “good and forward-looking,” in accordance with Iranian state TV.

China’s function within the breakthrough shook up dynamics within the Center East, the place the USA has for many years been the primary mediator.

Saudi Arabia reduce ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed throughout a dispute between the 2 nations over Riyadh’s execution of a Shi’ite Muslim cleric.

The dominion then requested Iranian diplomats to depart inside 48 hours whereas it evacuated its embassy employees from Tehran.

The connection started worsening a yr earlier, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened within the Yemen struggle, the place the Iran-aligned Houthi motion ousted a Saudi-backed authorities and took over the capital, Sanaa.

For Saudi Arabia, the rapprochement might imply improved safety. The dominion has blamed Iran for arming the Houthis, who carried out missile and drone assaults on Saudi Arabian cities and oil services.

In 2019, Riyadh blamed an assault on Aramco oil services, which knocked out half of its oil output, immediately on the Islamic Republic. Iran denied these accusations.