TEHRAN – Alireza Enayati, who has been confirmed as the new Iranian ambassador to Riyadh, told reporters on Monday that the reconciliation deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia will benefit all countries in the region.

When asked about who would benefit most from the deal, Enayati said, “The benefits of Iran-Saudi rapprochement are not polarized”. 

Both countries showed equal willingness to restore ties, he pointed out. 

He added no country can guarantee its own security if it decides to disregard its neighbors. 

The diplomat also hoped for a new order in the Persian Gulf where regional nations can take control and establish security without receiving assistance from any external power. 

Enayati said Iran and Saudi Arabia first sat down at the negotiating table two years ago in Baghdad, Iraq. Five rounds of talks followed the first one is the Omani capital Muscat with the presence of Iraqi mediators, he stated. 

The two countries were finally able to reach a deal in China, he added. 

Both countries are willing to start a new chapter in their ties and are planning to cooperate in various fields, including economy, military, culture and technology. 

The envoy added his country is also looking to strengthen ties with other Arab states. “Iran is looking to expand ties with other regional countries. It has already made constructive moves in case of Kuwait and the Emirates.” 

When asked about the main destabilizing actor in the region, Enayati pointed the finger at Israel. “The only seditious force in the region is Israel.” 

He warned that the Israeli regime is trying to grow its footprint in the Persian Gulf and urged countries to be weary of the regime’s destructive acts.

Iran and Saudi Arabia announced a détente in March after seven years of frozen ties. Iran’s embassy opened in Riyadh in May. Saudi Arabia has yet to open its own embassy in Tehran.