Saudi Arabia’s first ambassador to Iran since the resumption of diplomatic relations has hailed the new chapter of ties between Iran and his country, saying the bilateral relations will be “strong” in all areas.
In an exclusive interview with Iran’s official news agency IRNA late on Tuesday, Abdullah bin Saud al-Anzi, expressed his satisfaction with the beginning of a whole new era in relations between Riyadh and Tehran, stressing that the ties would be “strong in all fields,” including in “trade, economic and investment “sectors.
Speaking on the sidelines of a ceremony at the Chinese embassy in Tehran on the 74th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, al-Anzi emphasized that the revived relations between the two countries “will be constructive, strong and based on common interests, mutual respect and good neighborliness.”
Back in March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed under a Chinese-brokered deal to revive diplomatic relations severed in 2016.
According to a joint statement, Iran and Saudi Arabia underscored the need to respect the national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of one another.
They 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.
Iran officially reopened its embassy in Riyadh in June, followed by its consulate in Jeddah and its representative office with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad have also resumed operations.
Elsewhere in his remarks, al-Anzi praised China’s constructive role in mediating an agreement on the resumption of relations between Tehran and Riyadh.
“This agreement focuses on an agreement on [promotion of] bilateral and constructive cooperation in many fields, and it is also a joint security agreement between the two countries that boosts cooperation,” he said.
Saudi’s ambassador to Tehran added that the agreement had also a great impact on many issues and was warmly received by the international community, stressing that any agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, as two neighboring and important countries in the region, would also boost peace and security in the region and help achieve prosperity for the two nations.
Al-Anzi further pointed out that Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has formally invited Iranian President Ebrahim Raeisi for a visit to Riyadh, voicing hope that the visit would be made at an appropriate time.
