World reaction to restoration of Iran-Saudi diplomatic ties

Earlier yesterday, Tehran and Riyadh officially announced their agreement on the resumption of bilateral relations, after days of negotiation between the Iranian and Saudi officials in China.

Following the recent visit of the Iranian president Ebrahim Raeisi to Beijing and the talks he held with his Chinese counterpart there, Rear Admiral Shamkhani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) held intensive negotiations with his Saudi Arabian counterpart in the Chinese capital between March 6-10 to finalize resolving the outstanding issues between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

At the end of the negotiations on March 10, 2023, a tripartite statement was issued in Beijing signed by Iran’s Shamkhani, Minister of State and member of the Council of Ministers of Saudi Arabia Musaid Al Aiban, as well as the Director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party Wang Yi.

In this regard, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said that Iran's neighborhood policy is moving forward strongly on the right path.

The restoration of normal relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia provides great capacities to the two countries, the region and the Islamic world.

The neighborhood policy, as the key axis of the foreign policy of the 13th Iranian government, is strongly moving in the right direction, he said, adding that Iran's diplomatic apparatus is actively seeking more regional steps.

Saudi National Security Adviser Musaid Al Aiban, who negotiated the agreement with Shamkhani, said that Riyadh “welcomes the initiative of His Excellency President Xi Jinping, based on the Kingdom’s consistent and continuous approach since its establishment in adhering to the principles of good neighborliness.”

He said Saudi Arabia takes “everything that would enhance security and stability in the region and the world,” while “adopting the principle of dialogue and diplomacy to resolve differences.”

UN welcomes resumption of ties between two neighbors

The spokesman for the United Nations secretary general has welcomed talks that ended in the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Good neighborly ties between the two important countries “are essential for the stability” of the region, Stéphane Dujarric told reporters at a press briefing held at the UN office in New York on Friday.

On behalf of the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Dujarric said the United Nations is ready “to further advance regional dialogue and to ensure durable peace and security” in the region.

China describes agreement as victory for peace

China’s Top Diplomat Wang Yi praised the agreement as “a victory for dialogue, a victory for peace, offering major good news at a time of much turbulence in the world.”

China will continue to play a constructive role in handling hotspot issues in the world and demonstrate its responsibility as a major nation, Wang said. “The world is not just limited to the Ukraine issue.”

Syria terms event step to boost regional security

The Syrian foreign ministry announced Damascus's appreciation of the agreement in a statement on Friday, hours after Tehran and Riyadh reached the understanding under Chinese mediation in Beijing.

"This important step will lead to the strengthening of security and stability in the region and to cooperation that will reflect positively on the common interests of the peoples of the two countries in particular, and the peoples of the region in general," the statement read.

Nasrallah: Agreement could lead to new horizons

Addressing a local event on Friday, the secretary general of Lebanon’s Hezbollah resistance movement Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah said the agreement will be “to the benefit” of the region.

“The rapprochement of Iran and Saudi Arabia proceeds in its normal path and can open new horizons for the region and Lebanon,” he said.

Ansarullah hails move against foreign interference

Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Yemeni Ansarullah resistance movement’s chief negotiator, said the region is in need of resumption of “normal ties” between its countries.

“The region needs the resumption of normal ties between its countries for the Islamic nation to reclaim its lost security as a result of foreign, especially American-Zionist, interferences,” he tweeted.

Foreign interference, he said, has taken advantage of differences in the region and used Iranophobia to wage aggression on Yemen.

US welcomes ‘de-escalation’

In the first reaction, the United States claimed that it embraces “de-escalation” in West Asia.

“Generally speaking, we welcome any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region. De-escalation and diplomacy together with deterrence are key pillars of the policy President Biden outlined during his visit to the region last year,” a White House National Security Council spokesperson told Reuters.

Oman expresses satisfaction about reached agreement between Iran-Saudi Arabia

Sayyid Badr bin Hamad bin Hamood Albusaidi in his phone talk on Friday night with Hossein Amir-Abdollahian expressed satisfaction about the reached agreement between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Amir-Abdollahian, for his part, appreciated the Omani government for its previous efforts aimed at facilitating an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Qatar congratulates resumption of Iran-Saudi relations

The prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Qatar in a phone talk with Iran's Foreign Minister congratulated the new development in the establishment of Iran-Saudi relations.

Iran appreciates Iraq's efforts in resumption of Iran-Saudi ties

Amir-Abdollahian in phone talks with Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein appreciated the efforts of the Iraqi government as the initiator of security talks between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Fuad Hussein also congratulated the resumption of the relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. 

Taliban: Iran-Saudi Arabia agreement important for peace in region

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Taliban welcomed the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia and called it an important step towards consolidating peace and stability in the region.

It also welcomed China's efforts to host talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Bahrain, Egypt, Pakistan welcome Iran-Saudi ties resumption

Bahrain's Foreign Ministry has welcomed the issuance of a trilateral Tehran-Riyadh-Beijing statement on the restoration of Saudi-Iran relations.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that it hopes the agreement will help reduce regional tensions.

While welcoming the resumption of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's foreign minister emphasized that his country does not recognize Israel.

The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) welcomed the deal to resume diplomatic relations, describing it as a step toward enhancing regional peace and stability.

The Palestinian Hamas resistance movement welcomed the agreement to resume diplomatic relations, calling it to the benefit of the Palestinian issue.