Saudi Arabia, Iran to reopen internship centers, ease travel: News | World news
AP | | Posted by Yagya Sharma
Iran’s independent news agency ISNA reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to reopen diplomatic missions in their capitals and in additional cities. There was no immediate official confirmation of the news.
As part of the reported agreement, the two sides will also study the prospects of starting flights between the two countries and simplifying the visa process for citizens of both countries. Saudi Arabia and Iran are longtime regional rivals, but have moved toward reconciliation as part of a deal brokered by China last month.
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If confirmed, the agreement would represent a new step towards reconciliation after seven years of tension. The integration, which began last month, reduces the chance of military conflict between the Mideast rivals – both directly and in proxy conflicts around the region.
The first mediation agreement was brokered by Beijing in March.
It represents a major diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states consider the United States slowly withdrawing from the wider Middle East. It also comes as diplomats are trying to end the long-running war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.
On Wednesday morning, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ekhbariya TV showed Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian, shaking hands and sitting side by side. Iranian state TV said the two ministers met to discuss the details of the embassy opening.
It was the first official meeting of top diplomats from the two countries since 2016, when the government severed ties with Iran after protesters stormed Saudi diplomatic posts there. Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shiite cleric along with 46 others days earlier, sparking demonstrations.
