欧美文化:Iranian team arrives in Riyadh to prepare for diplomatic missions reopening

TEHRAN, April 12 (Xinhua) -- Iran's technical team arrived in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Wednesday to prepare the ground for the reopening of its diplomatic missions in Saudi Arabia, said the Iranian Foreign Ministry.

The ministry's Spokesman Nasser Kanaani described the visit as a new step in line with the implementation of the Beijing-brokered agreement between Tehran and Riyadh on the resumption of the official bilateral relations and diplomatic activities of their political and consular offices in the two countries, according to a statement on the ministry's website.

Kanaani said the Iranian delegation, welcomed by Saudi officials upon arrival, is going to implement the necessary measures for the reopening of the Iranian embassy in Riyadh as well as the consulate general and representative office to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah.

He said efforts have been underway to reopen the Iranian diplomatic missions before the beginning of the Hajj pilgrimage in late June.

On Saturday, the Saudi technical team arrived in Tehran to prepare for the reopening of the kingdom's embassy in Tehran and consulate general in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a deal in March to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions in the two countries within two months.

In a meeting in Beijing on April 6, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement announcing the practical resumption of official diplomatic relations.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.