Iran says Saudi foreign minister to visit Tehran soon

TEHRAN, Iran

Iran said Monday that Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will visit Tehran soon.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani told reporters that bin Farhan will participate in the reopening of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran.

He, however, did not specify a date for the visit.

There was no comment from the Saudi authorities on the Iranian statement.

Last week, Iran reopened its embassy and consulate in Saudi Arabia, months after the two regional rivals restored diplomatic ties after a seven-year gap.

The two Persian Gulf countries agreed to revive diplomatic ties in March after two years of negotiations brokered by Iraq and Oman.

China mediated the final round of talks, which was followed by a meeting of the foreign ministers in April in Beijing, who formally agreed to reopen diplomatic missions in the two countries.

Iran has in recent months stepped up efforts to normalize or upgrade diplomatic ties with regional countries in line with the Ebrahim Raisi government's “neighborhood-centric" foreign policy.

The rapprochement with Saudi Arabia has also paved the way for efforts to resume Tehran’s ties with Bahrain and Egypt, two key Saudi allies.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar