THE re-opening of Iran’s Embassy in Saudi Arabia marked another milestone toward restoring bilateral ties and lowering tensions between the powerful Gulf neighbors.
The move could ease travel between the countries as officials from both sides work to resume direct flights, increase trade and restore business ties.
The re-opening of the embassy comes seven years after the two cut off diplomatic ties in a rivalry that has reverberated across the region.
In March, senior officials from the two countries met to restore ties in a deal brokered by China.
Beijing’s ability to broker the deal was proof of its growing influence in the region.
In the same month, Saudi Arabia invited Iran’s president to visit the Kingdom.
Iran responded by inviting the King of Saudi to visit the Islamic Republic.
Riyadh severed diplomatic ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran following the execution of a revered Shia Cleric.
Iran’s Embassy re-opened the same day that United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken was expected to arrive in Saudi Arabia, to push for normalization with Israel.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has yet to confirm when it will open its embassy in Iran.
