UN welcomes resumption of diplomatic ties between Iran, Saudi Arabia

Good neighborly ties between the two important countries “are essential for the stability” of the region, Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at a press briefing held at the UN office in New York on Friday.

On behalf of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Dujarric said the United Nations is ready “to further advance regional dialogue and to ensure durable peace and security” in the region.

On March 10, Iran and Saudi Arabia released a statement announcing they had reached an agreement on re-opening their embassies to resume diplomatic ties after seven years.

A trilateral statement was released in the Chinese capital with Beijing declaring support for the resumption of ties between Tehran and Riyadh.

Following the February visit of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to China, the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Ali Shamkhani started intensive talks with his Saudi counterpart in Beijing as of March 6 to follow up on the agreements reached during Raisi's visit.