'Rapprochement with Saudi to positively impact on peace, stability'

TEHRAN: The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman has said that the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia will have positive impacts on regional peace, stability and security.

Making the remarks at his first press conference in the current Iranian calendar year, Nasser Kanaani said on Monday that the Beijing-brokered agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to normalize ties has met with “very positive reactions” in the region, and welcomed at the international level, Xinhua news agency reported, citing a report by Iran’s official news agency IRNA.

The agreement would definitely have positive impacts on strengthening regional cooperation, so as to foster peace, stability and security in the region, as well as on boosting trade and economic relations not only between Iran and Saudi Arabia but also with other regional countries, Kanaani noted.

Meanwhile, he said that Iran and Saudi Arabia will exchange ambassadors after the reopening of their diplomatic missions.

China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran announced on March 10 that the latter two had reached a deal that includes the agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and diplomatic missions within two months.

In a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.