TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran’s diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia, which was expelled in 2016, will reopen its embassy on Tuesday under the leadership of Alireza Enayati, the newly-appointed Iranian ambassador.
Saudi Arabia had severed ties with Iran following the attacks on its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad in January 2016 during protests over the execution of Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
According to a diplomatic source in Riyadh, the reopening ceremony of the Iranian embassy is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:00 pm local time (1500 GMT). On Monday, the source confirmed to the AFP the presence of the newly-appointed Iranian ambassador at the event.
Last month, Iranian media named Alireza Enayati as the country’s new envoy to Saudi Arabia. Enayati has previously served as Iran’s ambassador to Kuwait and held positions such as assistant to the foreign minister and director general of Persian Gulf affairs at the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
The reconciliation between the two regional powerhouses came as a surprise when they signed an agreement in China on March 10, putting an end to years of discord. Following the agreement, Saudi Arabia has also restored diplomatic ties with Syria and intensified efforts for peace in Yemen, where it has led a military coalition for years.
