Tehran, Sep 24 (IANS): Iran and the Maldives have announced the resumption of diplomatic relations after a seven-year hiatus.

The decision was made "in line with the two nations' interests and aspirations," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday in a statement.

The announcement came after a meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Maldivian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Khaleel on the sidelines of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday.

In May 2016, the Maldives, a supporter of Saudi Arabia, ended its diplomatic relations with Iran, following Riyadh's earlier decision to sever ties with Tehran in January of the same year, Xinhua news agency reported.

The resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and the Maldives is part of a wave of normalisations in Iran's relations with other countries that began in March when Tehran and Riyadh reached a groundbreaking Beijing-brokered agreement to resume diplomatic ties and reopen their embassies and missions.