Iranian President Invites Saudi King to Tehran

The President of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, has extended an invitation to the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, to visit Tehran, reports Arab News, citing Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani.

In March, the Saudi King had invited Raisi to visit Riyadh.

Arab News notes that technical delegations from both countries are currently preparing for the resumption of embassy operations.

Earlier, in April, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met with his Saudi counterpart, Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, in Beijing, where they agreed to reopen embassies and facilitate air travel. This meeting marked the first time in the last seven years that the heads of the foreign ministries of these countries convened.

The relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia significantly deteriorated in 2016 after the execution of a prominent Shia cleric in Riyadh, who had criticized the Saudi monarchy. Following this, protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran, prompting Riyadh to sever diplomatic relations with Tehran.