TEHRAN – Tehran and Riyadh are considering ways to widen tourism cooperation, such as easing visa procedures and re-establishing routine direct flights after more than seven years of diplomatic estrangement.

Negotiations are underway between Iran and Saudi Arabia for resuming direct flights between the two Muslim countries, Mehr quoted the chairman of the Iranian Air Travel and Tourism Offices as saying on Saturday.

Hormatollah Rafiei announced that Saudi Arabia was considering ways to establish direct flights to Iran and resume and facilitate travel soon.

Referring to the Tehran-Riyadh agreement to resume relations and diplomatic ties, Rafiei said: “After the signing of the joint statement, the two sides held good meetings to discuss establishing direct flights between the two countries.”

“Some initial negotiations and agreements have been made regarding the establishment of direct flights between some cities in Iran and Saudi Arabia,” the official stated.

It seems that the Suadi side is “very serious” and determined on implementing this issue, he said.

Establishing a direct flight from Dammam to Mashhad and Tehran was one of the topics of these negotiations, he said, adding that it is likely that those direct flights will be established soon.

Last week, a Saudi Arabian delegation visited Tehran to discuss procedures for reopening the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran in line with a March 10 agreement between Tehran and Riyadh.

On March 10, the two Persian Gulf states signed a Chinese-brokered deal to restore their diplomatic ties. The foreign ministers of the two countries have recently met in Beijing in line with this agreement.

AFM