Iran’s consul general to Jeddah departs for Saudi Arabia
Iran’s new consul general to the Saudi city of Jeddah Hassan Zarnegar Abarqouie has departed for the kingdom to begin his diplomatic mission there several months after Tehran and Riyadh restored ties after seven years.
Before leaving Tehran on Saturday, Zarnegar Abarqouie met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to elaborate on his plans to boost cooperation between Tehran and Riyadh as well as facilitating affairs related to Iranian pilgrims of Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
The top diplomat spoke about relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. He said that Saudi Arabia has a significant position in Iran’s neighborly policy and that the Iranian government is determined to boost ties and deepen cooperation with the kingdom in all fields.
Iran and Saudi Arabia signed a China-brokered deal in March 2023 to resume their diplomatic relations after they cut them in 2016 over protests in Iran against the Saudi execution of top cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
The two sides reopened their respective embassies a few months later.