breaking news Iran offers venues to Saudi Arabia for foreign ministers’ meeting

The Iranian government has offered Saudi Arabia three venues for a foreign minister-level meeting, the Iranian foreign minister said on Sunday, citing the latest messages with Riyadh since the countries agreed to restore relations.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told a press conference in Tehran that his country had agreed to such a meeting, although he did not list the three locations or specify when such a meeting might take place. place.

Iran and Saudi Arabia, the Shia and Sunni Muslim powers in the region, agreed on March 10 to restore relations and reopen embassies within two months after years of hostility.

The deal, brokered by China, was announced after four days of previously undisclosed talks in Beijing between top security officials from the two rival Middle Eastern powers.

Amirabdollahian also said Tehran was ready for the mutual reopening of embassies.

Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh’s execution of a Shia Muslim cleric.

Amirabdollahian signaled that Iran also hoped for steps to normalize relations with Bahrain, a close Saudi ally.

Manama had followed Riyadh in severing diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016. Bahrain, a Sunni Muslim-ruled monarchy with a predominantly Shia population, has repeatedly accused Iran of fomenting unrest in the island state, a charge that Tehran denies.

“An agreement was reached two months ago for technical delegations from Iran and Bahrain to visit the embassies of the two countries. We hope that some obstacles between Iran and Bahrain will be removed and we will take basic measures to reopen the embassies. “said Amirabdollahian.

Bahrain’s government communications office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Bahrain, like other Gulf Arab states, had welcomed the agreement between Riyadh and Tehran to restore relations.