Iranian embassy in Riyadh is set to open after seven years

The Iranian embassy will reopen under the leadership of Alireza Enayati

Web Desk

June 05, 2023

People stand outside the Iranian embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 12, 2023. — Reuters

Amid the Chinese-mediated rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March, Tehran is set to reopen its embassy in Riyadh Tuesday, as the diplomatic cut-off led to the closure of the embassy for seven years, reported AFP.

The bilateral relations between the two regional heavyweights severed in 2016 after the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in the northwestern city of Mashhad were attacked during protests over the kingdom’s execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.

The diplomatic mission of Iran will return to Riyadh under the leadership of Alireza Enayati after it was expelled from the world’s largest oil exporter’s soil. He was also in Kuwait as Iran’s ambassador.

Tehran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani announced the reopening in a statement Monday, confirming earlier comments by a diplomatic source in Riyadh.

Iran’s embassy in Riyadh, its consulate in Jeddah and its representative office to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) "will be officially reopened on Tuesday and Wednesday", Kanani said.

Wang Yi (c), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China attends a meeting with Secretary of Irans Supreme NSC Ali Shamkhani (right) and Minister of State and national security adviser of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban in Beijing, China March 10, 2023. — Reuters — Wang Yi (c), a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China attends a meeting with Secretary of Iran's Supreme NSC Ali Shamkhani (right) and Minister of State and national security adviser of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban in Beijing, China March 10, 2023. — Reuters

According to AFP, the opening "will take place Tuesday at 6:00pm local time with the presence of the newly appointed Iranian ambassador" to Saudi Arabia.

However, the Saudi authorities are yet to confirm the reopening of its embassy in Tehran and its pick for an ambassador.

Enayati was named as Iran’s Saudi envoy last month.

He had previously served as assistant to the foreign minister and director general of Gulf affairs at the foreign ministry, according to Iranian media.

After years of discord, the two Middle Eastern countries signed a surprise reconciliation agreement in China on March 10.

Since then, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Tehran ally Syria and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, where it has for years led a military coalition against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels.

Iran and Saudi Arabia had backed opposing sides in conflict zones across the Middle East for years before mending fences.