Nearly ten years after the rupture of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, the two countries are on the verge of agreeing again. This Friday, March 10, following the mediation of China, they announced the reopening of their diplomatic representation in the coming months. According to the details given by the Islamic Republic’s press agency in a joint statement signed by the two countries, the decisions taken at the end of the talks must be applicable in both month.
The differences between the two countries were visibly ironed out following a meeting held in Beijing between Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and his Saudi counterpart. This news comes following the recent visit by the Iranian President Ebrahim Raïssi in China. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were severed seven years ago following the attack on Saudi diplomatic missions by protesters in the Islamic Republic.
The murder of Jamal Khashoggi…
The latter had reacted following the execution by Saudi Arabia of a Shiite cleric. This rapprochement occurs in a context where relations between the United States and these different countries are not very friendly. The murder of the Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul pits US leaders against Crown Prince MBS. Joe Biden had been unable to tune his violins with the Saudi leader following a recent visit to Riyadh. China for its part is still not in harmony with the United States on several issues.
