King Salman, MBS Receive Separate Letters from Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi

By Staff, Agencies

Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have separately received letters from Iranian President Sayyed Ebrahim Raisi, which underscored the development of bilateral relations between Tehran and Riyadh in various sectors.

According to the state-run Saudi Press Agency, the letters were received on behalf of Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Faisal bin Farhan by his deputy Walid bin Abdul Karim al-Khereij during a meeting with Iranian Ambassador to the king Ali Reza Enayati.

The report said Khereij wished success for Enayati in his mission.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry announced in a statement that their meeting addressed the means to enhance bilateral ties in a way that serves common interests.

The statement said Director of the General Department of Asian Countries at the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mohammed al-Matrafi attended the meeting.

Back in March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed under a Chinese-brokered deal to revive diplomatic relations severed in 2016.

Iran officially reopened its embassy in Riyadh in June, followed by its consulate in Jeddah and its representative office with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad have also resumed operations.

Earlier this week, Iran’s ambassador to Riyadh said the Islamic Republic is determined to boost its bilateral ties with Saudi Arabia.

Speaking in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, Enayati said “I want to put emphasis on what President Ebrahim Raisi assigned to me when I met him, which is to employ all efforts” to strengthen the friendly and brotherly relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

The diplomat said Iran views Saudi Arabia as a “strategic partner of great importance within the framework of its good neighborliness policy.” Enayati said “a promising future” is looming as the two countries are keen to expand bilateral ties.