Top Saudi diplomat will visit Iran on Saturday amid thawing ties: Sources

Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud will visit Iran on Saturday amid warming relations between the two Middle Eastern powers, official sources say.

The sources said on Thursday that the top Saudi diplomat will hold talks will Iranian officials during his Saturday trip to Tehran.

Earlier, some sources raised the possibility of the reopening of the Saudi embassy during Prince Faisal’s Tehran visit.

Last week, Iran officially reopened its embassy in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, in line with a China-brokered reconciliation agreement that restored their ties severed seven years earlier.

Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in Beijing on March 10 to resume their relations and reopen their diplomatic missions within two months.

In a joint statement after signing the agreement, Tehran and Riyadh highlighted the need to respect each others’ national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of one another.

They also agreed to implement a security cooperation agreement signed in April 2001 and another accord reached in May 1998 to boost economic, commercial, investment, technical, scientific, cultural, sports, and youth affairs cooperation.