Introduction of Riyadh's Ambassador in Tehran Concurrent with the Visit of the Islamic Republic's Minister of Economy to Saudi Arabia

The Minister of Economy of the Islamic Republic of Iran traveled to Saudi Arabia to meet with officials of the country and participate in a meeting of the Islamic Development Bank. Concurrently, Riyadh introduced its ambassador in Tehran. Ehsan Khandozi, the Minister of Economic Affairs and Finance, arrived in Jeddah on Thursday, May 21, marking the first visit of a government official from the Islamic Republic to Saudi Arabia since the resumption of relations between the two countries. Simultaneously, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic, announced without mentioning a specific name that Riyadh has introduced its ambassador in Tehran. He stated that Tehran will soon introduce its ambassador as well, and efforts are underway to reopen the Islamic Republic's embassy in Saudi Arabia. Relations between Tehran and Riyadh had soured following an attack by hardline forces supporting the Islamic Republic on the Saudi embassy in the winter of 2015, and after eight years, the two countries agreed to restore their relations with China's mediation. Accordingly, it was decided in March 2023 that the embassies of both countries in Tehran and Riyadh would be reopened within two months. Jake Sullivan, the U.S. National Security Advisor, has described the establishment of diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran as part of a de-escalation process. Additionally, Sadegh Zibakalam, a political science professor in Iran, has stated that the establishment of relations between the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia is 'in favor of Iran.' He told VOA that the Islamic Republic has reached a point where it has no choice but to maintain peaceful relations with Saudi Arabia. Zibakalam also emphasized that whatever the Islamic Republic does, the people oppose it because they have lost trust in the regime; otherwise, the resumption of relations between the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia is beneficial for Iran.