Saudi Arabia hosts delegations from Iran and Syria to discuss restoration of diplomatic ties
by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – In a big show of thawing relations with both Iran and Syria, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday hosted delegations from the two countries intending to restore severed diplomatic ties with each of them, the Times of Israel (TOI) reports.
An Iranian delegation arrived in Riyadh Wednesday to discuss reopening diplomatic missions between the two countries: Saudi Arabia broke ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the execution of Saudi Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, TOI reports.
“The Iranian delegation will take the necessary steps to reopen the embassy in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah as well as the activities of Iran’s permanent representative in the (Jeddah-based) Organisation of Islamic Cooperation,” Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, a delegation from Syria arrived in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah, TOI reports. Diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Syria were severed at the outset of the Syrian civil war in 2011 due to the brutal crackdown on civilian protesters by Syrian dictator Bashar Assad.
Representatives from nine Arab countries will meet in Jeddah on Friday to determine whether to invite Assad to the annual Arab League Summit hosted by Saudi Arabia next month, TOI reports.
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad is set to meet his Saudi counterpart before Friday to discuss “efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the unity, security, and stability of Syria,” Saudi officials said.
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