Iran reopens embassy in Saudi Arabia

The Iranian government has reopened its embassy in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh for the first time in seven years.

Diplomatic ties between the two countries were severed in 2016 after protestors angered by the execution of a prominent Shia Muslim cleric stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran. Iran is predominantly a Shia country.

Tehran and Riyadh agreed in March to normalize diplomatic relations in talks mediated by China.

On Tuesday, officials from Iran and Saudi Arabia attended a ceremony to mark the reopening of the embassy.

Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Bigdeli said cooperation between the two countries has entered a "new era."

Observers believe Iran's decision to reopen its embassy was motivated in part by Tehran's aim to monitor moves by Israel. Israel has been seeking to strengthen its ties with Arab countries in light of the United States' declining presence in the Middle East.

Saudi Arabia has yet to announce the reopening of its embassy in Iran that was damaged in the attack in 2016.

Source: https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20230607_09/