Iran's FM Arrives in Saudi Arabia Amid Diplomatic Thaw

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Facts

• On Thursday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Riyadh for a one-day visit on his first official trip to Saudi Arabia since the two countries resumed diplomatic ties in March.¹
• After meeting with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Iran's top diplomat announced in a joint press conference that relations between the two countries are 'on the right track,' citing 'successful' talks.²
• Their 3.5-hour talks focused on cooperation in security, economy, trade, rescue operations, and the environment. Other issues concerning the Middle East, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, were also discussed, according to Iran's state-run Islamic Republic News Agency.³
• Bin Farhan stressed Riyadh's desire to bolster bilateral ties and also revive previous agreements with Tehran 'in the economic and security fields,' saying the kingdom seeks to expand cooperation in accordance with the March agreement between the two countries.⁴
• During the visit of Amir Abdollahian, who was accompanied by Alireza Enayati, the new Iranian ambassador to the kingdom, the Saudi chief diplomat also said that both countries' ambassadors would soon resume their diplomatic activities.⁵
• Mediated by China, the longtime rivals in March agreed to resume diplomatic ties, which broke down in 2016 after protesters stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran in response to Riyadh's execution of a Shiite cleric.⁶

Sources: ¹France 24, ²Al Jazeera, ³Al, ⁴Atalayar, ⁵Tehran times and ⁶Dw.com.

Narratives

• Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Presstv. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian traveling to Saudi Arabia after his Saudi counterpart visited Iran in June is another significant step in normalizing bilateral ties. The only ones who have an interest in attacking the China-brokered détente and benefitting from regional discord are foreign powers like Israel and the US. However, this will not prevent Riyadh and Tehran from jointly striving for regional stability and developing a more secure and prosperous future.
• Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by The cradle. It would be premature to view Hossein Amir-Abdollahian's trip as another sign that Riyadh is pivoting away from the West in favor of Iran and China. While the China-brokered deal may represent a victory for Chinese diplomacy, Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is now back on track for a new US-backed push to normalize relations with Israel. Moreover, the Saudis and Kuwaitis are at odds with Tehran over a disputed gas field. The region is in transition, and it's not yet clear where developments will lead.

Predictions