Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to restore diplomatic ties, Iran announced Friday afternoon.
The two countries will reopen their embassies in Riyadh and Tehran within 60 days, Iranian media reported, claiming that the deal was reached during a recent meeting in China.
The Islamic Republic and the Saudi kingdom have not had formal diplomatic ties after an attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and a Saudi consulate in Mashhad, prompting Saudi Arabia to expel Iran’s mission in Riyadh. The attacks in Tehran and Mashhad came in response to the execution of a prominent Shi’ite cleric in Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi government has not confirmed Iran’s announcement.
Riyadh and Tehran have been in talks aimed at restoring diplomatic relations for years, with Iran claiming the two were on the cusp of an agreement in October 2021.