TEHRAN- On Monday, the Iranian ambassador to Saudi Arabia met with the Saudi minister of Islamic affairs to discuss bilateral relations and the issues facing the Islamic world.

According to a statement from the Iranian embassy, Alireza Enayati, the Iranian ambassador, stated that Saudi Arabia and Iran are two significant Islamic nations and that their close relationship has aided in elevating the stature of the Islamic world in international affairs.

In addition, he stressed that Islamic nations had to cooperate for the sake of the Muslim Ummah as a whole and stand united against external dangers.

The Iranian ambassador was greeted by Sheikh Abdullatif bin Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, the Saudi minister of Islamic affairs, call and guidance, who again emphasized the efforts of the Saudi government to support Islam and Muslims.

He also pointed out that the goal of his ministry’s numerous initiatives is to show that Islam is a religion of moderation that encourages compassion and peaceful coexistence between all people.

Enayati commended Saudi Arabia for its efforts to serve the religion, pilgrims, holy places, and the two sacred mosques in Mecca and Medina, as well as to propagate moderate Islam.

He also applauded the ministry for maintaining mosques and hosting contests for recitation and memorization of the Quran, which encourage people to interact with the holy book.

The meeting was one of many diplomatic encounters between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which reestablished diplomatic relations in March 2023.

The diplomatic landscape between Iran and Saudi Arabia witnessed a turning point in March when both nations reached an agreement to restart diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies and diplomatic missions.

This historic rapprochement came after seven years of strained ties and was facilitated through a deal brokered by China, with the primary objective of bridging longstanding gaps that had marred relations between the two West Asian nations.

In the aftermath of the diplomatic reset, both Tehran and Riyadh, in a joint statement, underscored the imperative to respect each other’s national sovereignty and committed to refraining from interfering in each other’s internal affairs. 

The agreement seems to be gaining momentum as diplomatic channels open up for crucial discussions.