Iranian, Saudi FMs To Meet During Ongoing Ramadan Month

The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to meet during the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan under a deal to restore ties.

Iran’s Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud of Saudi Arabia discussed the matter during a phone call on March 26, the two countries’ state media reported.

“During the call, the two sides discussed the latest status of a recent agreement between Tehran and Riyadh to revive ties, as well as a joint bilateral meeting during the ongoing Muslim holy month of Ramadan,” Iran’s Press TV said.

Ramadan is expected to end on April 21.

Earlier this month, Tehran and Riyadh agreed to resume diplomatic ties and re-open embassies following years of hostility between the two regional rivals.

The deal between Sunni-ruled kingdom and Shia-majority Iran was announced after talks in Beijing between the two countries’ top security officials.

Saudi Arabia, a US ally, broke off ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters stormed Saudi diplomatic posts in the country. The demonstrations were triggered by the execution of a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia.

Tensions have since risen dramatically across the Middle East, particularly after the United States unilaterally withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal between Tehran and world powers in 2018.

The Islamic Republic has been blamed for a series of attacks in the region in recent years, including one that targeted Saudi Arabia’s oil industry in 2019, temporarily halving the country’s crude production.