Iran, Saudi Arabia Move to Implement Reconciliation Deal

Foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Beijing on Thursday for talks on the implementation of a normalization deal brokered earlier by China. 
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud discussed administrative steps for the reopening of their embassies and consulates, as well as other issues in bilateral relations, ISNA reported. 
They later issued a joint statement on the resumption of relations between Tehran and Riyadh after seven years of estrangement, ISNA reported. 
In the statement, they stressed the need to implement the agreement in a way that would help increase mutual trust and cooperation and contribute to regional security and stability. 
The two sides also underlined the importance of reviving a 2001 security pact, under which both sides agreed to cooperate to tackle terrorism, drug-smuggling and money-laundering, as well as a trade and technology pact from 1998.
The foreign ministers agreed to reopen the two countries’ embassies in Tehran and Riyadh and their consulates in the cities of Mashhad and Jeddah within the two-month period stipulated in the deal.
According to the statement, technical teams will continue coordination to examine ways of expanding cooperation including the resumption of flights and bilateral visits of official and private sector delegations and facilitating the granting of visas for the citizens of the two countries.
“Given the existing natural resources and economic capabilities that can be used to ensure the common interests of the two brotherly nations, the two sides agreed to increase meetings and consultations to further realize the positive prospects in bilateral relations,” the statement read.
Iran and Saudi Arabia expressed their readiness to remove any obstacles in the way of their cooperation and agreed to collaborate in any possible way that could ensure the security and stability of the region and the interests of its nations. 
The Saudi foreign minister renewed his invitation for Amir-Abdollahian to visit Saudi Arabia and the top Iranian diplomat invited his Saudi counterpart in return to travel to Tehran, which was welcomed by Prince Faisal.
In a tweet, Amir-Abdollahian said the Thursday meeting with his Saudi counterpart was “positive”, adding that “the emphasis on stability and sustainable security” were among the issues agreed upon and “on the common agenda.”
Foreign Ministry Spokesman Nasser Kanaani described the talks as “good and positive”, saying official relations between the two countries have begun as of this day.   
“Gradually various delegations at state and private levels will soon be exchanged between the two sides,” he said. 

Mideast Stability

Iran and Saudi Arabia have been at odds over a range of regional issues and finally cut ties in 2016 after a group of Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in response to the kingdom’s execution of a prominent Shia cleric. 
The two later showed signs of interest in reconciliation marked by five rounds of talks in the Iraqi capital Baghdad before finally signing a China-brokered deal in Beijing last month. 
Under the agreement, they agreed to hold a meeting of their top diplomats later for the implementation of this decision and arrangements for the exchange of ambassadors. 
China brokered the surprise deal in a display of Beijing’s growing influence in the Middle East and shook up dynamics in a conflict-ridden region where the United States has for long been a key player.
It is also seen by some experts as signaling a loss of influence by the United States with its long-time ally Saudi Arabia.
William Burns, the director of the CIA, was in Saudi Arabia this week, where he reportedly expressed his frustration that Riyadh was reopening dialogue with countries—Iran and Syria—subject to US sanctions.
In a meeting with the Iranian and Saudi envoys, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Beijing supports countries in the Middle East in upholding their strategic independence, getting rid of external “interference” and keeping the region’s future in their own hands.
Chinese President Xi Jinping reportedly plans to continue to press ahead with his country’s regional leadership and host a high-level meeting of Persian Gulf Arab leaders and Iranian officials in Beijing later this year.
The gathering has reportedly been in discussion since December, when Xi met with Arab leaders at a regional summit in Riyadh and proposed the idea.
China had earlier proposed a five-point initiative on achieving security and stability in the Middle East in early 2021.