According to official Saudi Arabian sources, a treaty has been signed between Saudi Arabia and Iran to revive diplomatic relations between the two countries, brokered by China. According to Saudi media, negotiations were held between Iranian and Saudi officials from 6th to 10th March, facilitated by the efforts of Chinese President Xi Jinping. The joint statement released says that "in response to the measures taken by China to promote the restoration of good relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the three countries declare that a treaty has been reached between Saudi Arabia and Iran." The statement from the Saudi Press Agency states that "China will host negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Iran under the treaty signed by the leadership of Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China." It was announced that both countries will reopen their respective embassies within two months and respect each other's sovereignty and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. The statement aims to promote "good neighborly relations" between the two countries and resolve their differences through dialogue and diplomacy. The statement further adds that the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran will hold a meeting to activate the treaty's terms.
It has been further stated that the 1998 agreements for cooperation in various fields, including economy, science, and sports, will also be activated in addition to the 2001 security cooperation agreements.
Last December, Xi Jinping had brought together Middle Eastern leaders during his visit to Saudi Arabia, after which there was a lot of speculation in Saudi and Arab media.
Last month, Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi visited China, which received special attention in Arab media. The joint statement stated that Riyadh and Tehran thanked the Chinese leadership for this step and praised the previous hosts of talks from Oman and Iraq.
Both Saudi Arabia and Iran have also thanked Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman, along with China, for hosting previous talks in 2021 and 2022.
Relations between the two countries were severed in 2016 when Saudi officials executed Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr after Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy headquarters in Iran.
Ali Shamkhani, speaking to the news website Nournews, which is believed to be close to Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said: "Correcting misunderstandings and looking towards the future under Tehran-Riyadh relations will undoubtedly promote regional stability and security and increase cooperation between the Gulf countries and the Islamic world."
"The Victory of Diplomacy"
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called the treaty "the victory of diplomacy," "the triumph of peace," and "welcome news at a time when the world is in turmoil."
The treaty is a diplomatic victory for China in a region where American geopolitical influence has been dominant.
It comes at a time when China is facing accusations from the West that Beijing did not take any proactive measures during the Russo-Ukrainian conflict, while China is calling for a dialogue on the Ukrainian conflict.
Wang said, "As a responsible and trustworthy third party, China has fulfilled its duties as a host... Beijing will continue to play a constructive role in addressing hot issues in the world and demonstrate its responsibility as a major country."
Wang added that the world is not only facing the Ukrainian issue but also other pressing issues.
Meanwhile, the White House spokesperson expressed concern over the information about the treaty, but said that Washington welcomes any efforts to end the war in Yemen and reduce tensions in the Middle East.
A senior Iranian security official said that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei supported the treaty.
"The reason for this is that Shamkhani visited China as the representative of the Supreme Leader. The agency wanted to show that the Supreme Authority supports this decision," the official told Reuters news agency.
Riyadh is traditionally close to the United States in its relations, and Iran has always been seen as a rival to the US in the region.
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