- The regional rivals agreed to the restoration of ties after talks in Beijing.
TEHRAN (Agencies): Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to re-establish ties and reopen embassies within two months, according to Iranian and Saudi state media.
The agreement came after talks held in the Chinese capital Beijing.
“As a result of the talks, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies … within two months,” Iranian news agency IRNA reported on Friday.
Nour News, which is linked to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, posted images and video it described as being taken in China with the meeting. It showed Ali Shamkhani, the council’s secretary, with a Saudi official and a Chinese official that state TV named as Wang Yi.
“After implementing of the decision, the foreign ministers of the both nations will meet to prepare for exchange of ambassadors,” Iranian state television said.
The Saudi Press Agency confirmed the agreement when it also published the joint statement from Saudi Arabia and Iran, which said that the two countries had agreed to respect state sovereignty and not interfere in each others internal affairs.
The statement also said that the Riyadh and Tehran had agreed to activate a security cooperation agreement signed in 2001.
Tensions have long been high betweent the regional rivals.
Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts there.
Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shia cleric days earlier, triggering the demonstrations.
But there have been more recent efforts on both sides to warm ties.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are on rival sides of a number of regional issues, in countries as varied as Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.
Improved relations between Tehran and Riyadh could therefore have an effect on politics across the Middle East.