Riyadh, Mar 10 (IANS): Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties, reopen embassies and exchange ambassadors within a period of two months, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported on Friday.
The decision to re-establish relations, which were severed in 2016, came following talks that took place from March 6 through March 10 in Beijing, SPA reported citing a trilateral statement issued by the Kingdom, Iran and China.
"Saudi Arabia and Iran agree to respect state sovereignty and not interfere in internal matters," the statement said, adding that the two countries' foreign ministers will meet soon to arrange for the exchange of envoys and discuss means to enhance ties, Al Arabiya reported.
Riyadh and Tehran also agreed to activate the security cooperation agreement signed in 2001 and the trade, economy and investment agreement signed in 1998.
According to the statement, China's President Xi Jinping had made an initiative to host and sponsor talks between delegates from Iran and Saudi Arabia to resolve disputes via dialogue and diplomacy, Al Arabiya reported.
The Saudi delegation was headed by Minister of State and National Security Adviser Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, while the Iranian delegation was headed by Rear Admiral Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of the Supreme National Security Council.
During the talks, China was represented by Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs Wang Yi.
Saudi Arabia and Iran thanked China for hosting and sponsoring the recent talks and for the efforts exerted to help them succeed. They also thanked Iraq and Oman for hosting dialogue sessions between the two countries' representatives in 2021 and 2022, Al Arabiya reported.
"Saudi Arabia, Iran and China are keen on making all [necessary] efforts to strengthen regional and international peace and security."
Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran after two of its diplomatic posts were attacked in Tehran and Mashhad in 2016.