Saudi Arabia and Iran are restoring relations and say they are seeking stability in the Middle East

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Longtime rivals in the Middle East, Iran and Saudi Arabia took another important step toward reconciliation Thursday, formally restoring diplomatic relations after a seven-year spat, stressing the need for regional stability and agreeing to pursue economic cooperation.

The agreement was reached in Beijing during a meeting between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia, a month after China brokered a tentative reconciliation deal between the two regional powers.

The latter understanding reduces the chances of an armed conflict between the two rivals, whether directly or by proxy over the region. It could bolster diplomats’ efforts to end a long war in Yemen, a conflict in which Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.

Thursday’s announcement also marks another diplomatic victory for the Chinese as Gulf Arab states see the United States slowly withdrawing from the broader region.

Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amirabadollahian, offered details of Thursday’s agreement in a tweet, after his talks with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.

The minister wrote that Thursday marked the beginning of “official diplomatic relations… economic and trade cooperation, the reopening of embassies and general consulates, and an emphasis on stability, stable security and development in the region.” Amirabadullahian said that the issues are “agreed on and on the common agenda.”

Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, said that in addition to reopening embassies in the two capitals, diplomatic missions will start operating in two other major cities – Mashhad in Iran and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The report stated that the two sides also agreed to study the prospects for resuming official and private trips and visits between the two countries, in addition to how to facilitate visa procedures for their people.

China’s foreign ministry reported last month that the two sides agreed to reopen their embassies and missions within two months.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said the two foreign ministers signed a joint statement and expressed their determination to improve relations in line with their talks in Beijing last month.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency reported a brief news about the meeting, in which it said, “Discussions took place on joint relations and ways to enhance cooperation in many fields” with the aim of “enhancing the security, stability and prosperity of the region.” Two countries, two peoples.

Thursday’s talks in Beijing are the first formal meeting of senior diplomats from the two countries since 2016, when the kingdom cut ties with Iran after Saudi diplomatic posts there were overrun by protesters. Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shiite cleric along with 46 others days earlier, which led to the outbreak of demonstrations.

Mao said at the press conference that the warming of relations shows that “countries in the region have the will and ability to take the lead” in maintaining peace.

She said China is ready to support the two sides in promoting good relations, and urged the international community to help Middle Eastern countries resolve their differences.

“The colonial hegemony’s tactics of stirring up contradictions and creating estrangement and division must be rejected by people all over the world,” she said.

While reopening embassies would represent a major step forward, the extent of the rapprochement may depend on peace efforts in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has been at war with the Iran-backed Houthi rebels since 2015, after the rebels captured the capital. And a large part of northern Yemen.

Saudi Arabia is also deeply suspicious of Iran’s nuclear program, which has made significant progress Since the United States unilaterally withdrew from a 2015 agreement with world powers to limit Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief.

“I know from my conversations with the Saudis that they will be watching Yemeni space,” Tim Lenderking, the Biden administration’s envoy to Yemen, told an audience at a think-tank in Washington earlier this week.

He added, “If the Iranians want to show that they have already turned a corner in the conflict, there will be no more smuggling of arms to the Houthis in violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions.” He pointed to alleged Iranian involvement in drug trafficking as well.

Lenderking indicated Iran’s support for a continuing truce There as a positive sign recently, he called on Iran to support political efforts to reach a permanent peace agreement.

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Associated Press writers Canice Leung in Hong Kong, Amir Waheedat in Tehran and Iran and Elaine Knicmeyer in Washington contributed to this.