Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian have agreed to meet during the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan, Saudi state news agency reported on Monday as part of a deal to restore ties.
The two ministers spoke by phone for the second time in as many days. Ramadan is likely to end on April 20.
The two ministers also agreed to hold a bilateral meeting between them during the ongoing month of Ramadan. During the call, a number of common issues were discussed in light of the tripartite agreement that was signed in the People’s Republic of China.
Earlier this month, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to revive relations after years of hostility that threatened stability and security in the Persian Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.
The deal between regional powers Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and arch-rival Shiite Iran, brokered by China, was announced after as-yet undisclosed talks in Beijing between the two countries’ top security officials.
Analysts say both sides will benefit from the de-escalation, as Iran seeks to undermine US isolation efforts in the region and Saudi Arabia seeks to focus on economic development.
Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was attacked during a dispute between the two countries over the execution of a Shia Muslim cleric in Riyadh.
The kingdom has also blamed Iran for missile and drone attacks on its oil facilities in 2019, as well as attacks on tankers in Persian Gulf waters. Iran has denied the allegations.
Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement has also carried out cross-border missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia, which leads the coalition fighting the Houthis, and expanded strikes to the United Arab Emirates in 2022.
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