TEHRAN – Iranian media reported on Tuesday that Alireza Enayati has been named as Iran’s new ambassador to Saudi Arabia.

Enayati, head of the Persian Gulf Bureau at the Iranian Foreign Ministry, was involved in the Chinese-brokered deal that restored diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The deal was reached on March 10 and stipulated that Tehran and Riyadh reopen their embassies within a period of two months. 

Enayati has also previously served as Iran’s ambassador to Kuwait. 

Saudi Arabia has already introduced its ambassador to Iran. Iranian media reports earlier suggested that Alireza Enayati and Nasser Kanaani, the spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, were among the top candidates for the high-profile job. 

Relations between Iran and its southern Arab neighbors improved after Tehran and Riyadh signed the Chinese-brokered agreement in Beijing on March 10. The landmark deal resulted in both sides resuming diplomatic relations after seven years.

Iran has also appointed a new ambassador to Kuwait, who will arrive in the Arab country soon, Fars News reported in mid-May.

The newly-appointed ambassador, Mohammad Totonchi, will replace the outgoing ambassador Mohammad Irani, who has been Tehran’s envoy to Kuwait since September 2018. 

Totonchi has previously served as the head of the Persian Gulf Bureau at the foreign ministry and Iran’s chargé d'affaires in Oman.

After Iran and Saudi Arabia severed relations in January 2016 due to the attacks on the Saudi embassy and consulate general in Iran, the Kuwaiti government recalled its ambassador from Tehran in accordance with Saudi Arabia and reduced the level of its diplomatic relations with Iran. 

The government of this country appointed its new ambassador in Tehran in August of last year after about six years.