Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia boosted by minister’s visit and embassy reopening in Riyadh

Ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia were given a boost this week by the first visit since 2015 of an Iranian foreign minister to Riyadh, the formal reopening of the Iranian embassy there, and discussions in Russia between the two countries’ military officials.

“Relations between Tehran and Saudi Arabia are on the right track and we are witnessing progress,” Iran’s foreign minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian stated after a meeting with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan. “We had good discussions over a broad range of issues.” They included fighting terrorism, trade, co-operation in scientific research, tackling climate change, dust storms and drug trafficking, according to Iran’s official news agency IRNA.

Prince Faisal, who travelled to Tehran in June, spoke of the commitment of both sides to implement a reconciliation agreement brokered by China in March as it “benefits the two countries” by promoting trust, co-operation, and regional stability. He said Riyadh was looking forward to the visit of Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi to the kingdom at the invitation of King Salman.

Iran’s ambassador, Alireza Enayati, arrived in Riyadh on Thursday to take up his post at the mission.

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The embassies of both countries had been shuttered since 2016 after Iranian protesters ransacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashad in response to Riyadh’s execution of 47 dissident Saudi Shias, including cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

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On Wednesday, senior Saudi defence official Talal al-Otaibe and Iran’s deputy chief of staff Aziz Nasirzadeh met on the sidelines of the Moscow Conference on International Security and decided to exchange military attaches “as soon as possible”.

Having been on opposite sides in regional crises, Riyadh and Tehran have renounced previous confrontational policies. In mid-2017, the Saudis ceased backing jihadis fighting the Iran-allied Syrian government and in May Riyadh normalised relations with Syria.

In Yemen, the Saudis and Houthi rebels – who receive some weaponry from Iran – have committed to a ceasefire and peace talks. The pro-Iran Iraqi government has courted rapprochement with Saudi Arabia and Iran has renewed ties with the Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

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Riyadh has sought to resolve the political deadlock in Lebanon, where Iran’s affiliate Hizbullah is at odds with right-wing Maronite Christians over the election of a new president.

Although disputes remain over ownership of Gulf islands and oil resources, Riyadh and Tehran seek overall regional stability. Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman has focused on eliminating distractions while implementing his Vision 30 plan for economic and social reforms .

Ostracised and sanctioned by the West, Iran seeks reasonable relations with neighbours. On the global level, reconciliation between Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shia Iran could reduce tensions between majority Sunnis and minority Shias across the Arab region and the Muslim world.