Iran appoints new ambassador to Saudi Arabia
Iran has appointed Alireza Enayati, a senior diplomat, as its new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, following a thaw in relations between the two countries.
He had previously served as Iran’s ambassador to Kuwait, assistant to the foreign minister and director-general of Persian Gulf affairs at the Foreign Ministry.
The appointment of the new ambassador is in line with a China-brokered agreement reached between Tehran and Riyadh in March to put aside their differences and revive relations after years of estrangement.
Under the agreement, both sides agreed on March 10 to resume their diplomatic ties and reopen their embassies within two months.
Tehran and Riyadh highlighted the need to respect each other’s national sovereignty and refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of one another.
They also agreed to implement a security cooperation agreement signed in April 2001 and another accord reached in May 1998 to boost economic, commercial, investment, technical, scientific, cultural, sports, and youth affairs cooperation.
The Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers met for the first time in seven years on April 6, stressing the need to implement the rapprochement deal.