Iran's Foreign Minister says Iranian-Saudi relations 'on right track'

Hossein Amirabdollahian in Riyadh on his first visit since countries resumed relations earlier this year

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, right, and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Riyadh on Thursday. Reuters

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian arrived in Riyadh on Thursday on his first trip to Saudi Arabia since the countries resumed relations earlier this year, Iranian state media reported.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met Mr Amirabdollahian at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Riyadh.

“Relations between Tehran and Saudi Arabia are on the right track and we are witnessing progress,” Mr Amirabdollahian said in a news conference with Prince Faisal, who said the talks were “successful”.

Prince Faisal said the kingdom was hoping Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi would visit Saudi Arabia following an invitation from King Salman.

Mr Raisi has said he would travel to the kingdom at the “appropriate time”.

The kingdom is keen to follow through with all main points of the China-brokered deal and will work to foster closer economic and security ties with Tehran, Prince Faisal said.

“We look forward to a new phase in our relationship based on our Islamic brotherhood and work towards common interests,” he added, saying that he welcomed Iran's endorsement of Riyadh's bid to host Expo 2030.

The Iranian official signed the ministry's visitors' book during the visit.

Prince Faisal and Mr Amirabdollahian discussed regional and global issues during the meeting, Iranian state news agency Irna reported.

Mr Amirabdollahian also thanked the kingdom for arranging passage for Iranian pilgrims performing Ummah and Hajj in the kingdom.

Security, economy and trade agreements are to be enacted"as soon as possible”, Mr Amirabdollahian said.

Saudi Arabia is keen to sign security-related and economic agreements with Tehran, Prince Faisal said, adding that the kingdom seeks to foster relations based on “mutual respect”.

In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to a China-brokered deal to end a diplomatic rift and re-establish relations, following years of hostility that had endangered regional stability.

In June, Prince Faisal met Iranian officials in Tehran, on his first visit to the country after the resumption of diplomatic relations.

Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Iran in 2016, after protesters attacked its embassy in Tehran, in retaliation for Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.

Earlier, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said Mr Amirabdollahian and Prince Faisal would discuss re-establishing co-operation in various fields and hoped they “will be able to reach better results in terms of setting goals of the two countries”.

On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia's Assistant Defence Minister Talal Al Otaibi met with Aziz Nasirzadeh, deputy chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces, along with delegations from both countries, on the sidelines of the 11th Moscow Conference on International Security.

They reviewed relations in defence and security and ways to develop them, the Saudi Defence Ministry said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to resume all joint agreements between the countries, including security co-operation, trade, technology, investment, science, culture and sports.

Last month, Iran reopened its diplomatic mission in Riyadh and its consulate service in Jeddah.

Iran’s Finance Minister Ehsan Khandouzi visited Saudi Arabia in May, the first visit by an Iranian official to the kingdom since the countries resumed diplomatic relations.

Tehran appointed Alireza Enayati as its ambassador to Saudi Arabia in May.