DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) 鈥 Iran's foreign minister traveled to Saudi Arabia on Thursday, marking the first trip to the kingdom by Tehran's top diplomat in years after the two nations reached a d茅tente with Chinese mediation.
The visit by Hossein Amirabdollahian comes as both Saudi Arabia and Iran try to ease tensions between their nations, which long have viewed each other as archrivals for influence across the wider Middle East. Challenges remain, however, particularly over , the Saudi-led war in Yemen and .
Amirabdollahian's trip to Riyadh comes as the two nations are reopening diplomatic missions in each others' countries. He was accompanied by Alireza Enayati, Iran's new ambassador to the kingdom.
Amirabdollahian met with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and later delivered on-camera statements.
鈥淥ur meeting today is a continuation of the steps taken towards implementing the agreement to resume diplomatic relations, which represents a pivotal platform in the history of the two countries and the path of regional security," Prince Faisal said.
Amirabdollahian acknowledged that Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi hopes to travel to Saudi Arabia on an official visit.
鈥淲e believe that the idea of achieving security and development in the region is an idea that cannot be fragmented," he said.
The last Iranian foreign minister to visit Saudi Arabia on a public trip was Mohammad Javad Zarif, .
The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts there. , triggering the demonstrations.
That came as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, then a deputy, began his rise to power. The son of King Salman, Prince Mohammed previously compared Iran鈥檚 Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to Nazi Germany鈥檚 Adolf Hitler, and threatened to strike Iran.
Since then, with world powers in 2018. Iran has been blamed for a series of attacks after that, temporarily halving the kingdom鈥檚 crude production.
Religion also plays a key role in tensions as well. Saudi Arabia, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day, has portrayed itself as the world鈥檚 leading Sunni nation. Iran鈥檚 theocracy, meanwhile, views itself as the protector of Islam鈥檚 Shiite minority.
But after the coronavirus pandemic and the U.S.' chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, Gulf Arab nations including Saudi Arabia have begun reassessing how to manage relations with Iran. In March,
The war in Yemen continues, , which has seen the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels maintain their yearslong hold on the capital, Sanaa.
Meanwhile, , though Riyadh apparently seeks defense guarantees and access to American nuclear technology. While not directly acknowledging that mediation, Amirabdollahian said Iran supported the Palestinians while criticizing Israel.
鈥淲e do not have any doubt that the Zionist entity is seeking to spread division, hostility and occupying our region,鈥 he said.
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Associated Press writer Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran, contributed to this report.
