Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is set to visit Riyadh, following an invitation from King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, according to China's state media Xinhua, citing Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Mokhber on Monday.
The report said this development comes in the wake of China-mediated talks in Beijing earlier this month, where the two countries agreed to restore diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions within a two-month timeframe.
Mohammad Jamshidi, Deputy Chief of Staff for Political Affairs to the Iranian president, shared on Twitter that King Salman had extended a formal invitation to President Raisi for the visit to the Saudi capital. Xinhua also reported that the move signifies a significant step toward fostering improved relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as other Arab nations in the region.
First Vice President Mokhber highlighted that enhancing relations with regional countries has been a central focus of President Raisi's administration since he took office. The upcoming visit to Riyadh marks a notable advancement in achieving this objective.
The announcement of President Raisi's forthcoming visit to Saudi Arabia follows a period of strained relations between the two nations. In early 2016, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic ties with Iran as a result of attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in the country, which occurred after the execution of a Shiite cleric by the Saudi kingdom. The upcoming visit signifies a significant step toward reconciliation and the establishment of stronger ties between these two key players in the Middle East.
