Iran hails China’s role as it reopens long-shut embassy in Saudi Arabia after seven-year closure

Iran reopened its embassy in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after seven years of closure, nearly three months after the two countries agreed to restore bilateral ties under a Chinese-brokered deal. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Bigdeli and Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Consular Affairs Ali Al-Yousef cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony in the Saudi capital of Riyadh. In March, Saudi Arabia and Iran held dialog in Beijing and reached a groundbreaking agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and missions. According to the trilateral statement jointly issued by China, Saudi Arabia and Iran, the latter two agreed to iron out their disagreements through dialog and diplomacy, and in light of their brotherly ties, adhering to the principles and objectives of the Charters of the United Nations and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and international conventions and norms. The reopening of the Saudi embassy in Iran is currently under acti