Iran's Foreign Minister to visit Saudi Arabia in 'near future'

Hossein Amirabdollahian received an invitation from King Salman after countries agreed to restore ties

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran in June. AP

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian plans to visit Saudi Arabia in the "near future" for talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Tehran has said.

Prince Faisal visited Iran in June and presented Mr Amirabdollahian with an invitation from Saudi Arabia's King Salman to visit the kingdom.

It was the first time a Saudi foreign minister had visited Tehran in seven years.

The trip came after Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement in March to re-establish ties.

Mr Amirabdollahian's visit would include talks on restoring economic ties, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday.

He said relations between the two countries were progressing.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have reopened their embassies and consulates in the other country and reinstated economic agreements signed more than 20 years ago.

Iran reopened its embassy in Riyadh and consulate in Jeddah this year.

In May, Saudi Arabia's Economy Minister met his Iranian counterpart Ehsan Khandouzi in Jeddah.

Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to resume flights between the countries and organise visits of official and private sector delegations, in addition to issuing visas for citizens.

In June, Iran reopened the office of its representative to the Organisation of Islamic Co-operation in Jeddah.

In May, Tehran named Alireza Enayati as its ambassador to Saudi Arabia. Mr Enayati previously served as the head of the Gulf Bureau at the Iranian Foreign Ministry and the country's ambassador to Kuwait.

Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran in 2016 after attacks on its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad following Riyadh's execution of Shiite cleric Nimr Al Nimr.

“We have never considered Saudi Arabia as our enemy,” Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in May.

The countries agreed to re-establish diplomatic relations during China-mediated talks in April.