It was the first visit by a Saudi official to Tehran in more than seven years.
The Saudi minister said he would also have a meeting with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who has just finished a tour of
During the press conference, the two diplomats hailed re-establishment of diplomatic relations, which they said would be paramount to improving security across the region.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has never equated security with militarism, and considers security to be a comprehensive concept, which includes political, economic, cultural, trade and social dimensions between all the countries of the region,” Amirabdollahian said.
The Iranian foreign minister added that he discussed a wide range of issues with his counterpart, which included trade ties and joint investments, in addition to accommodating Saudi tourists and pilgrims who may be interested in visiting Iran.
For his part, bin Farhan said “mutual respect, non-interference in the two countries’ internal affairs and commitment to the United Nations Charter” will be at the centre of bilateral relations going forward, with an eye on securing the interests of both nations.
“I would also like to highlight the two countries’ discussions on cooperation on ensuring maritime security and reducing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction,” he said.
China-brokered deal
Amirabdollahian and bin Farhan last met in early June in South Africa on the sidelines of a meeting of BRICS, the economic bloc consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.
But this is the first visit by a Saudi official to Iran since 2016, when Riyadh broke diplomatic relations after its diplomatic missions in Tehran and Mashhad were attacked after it executed a Shia religious leader in Saudi Arabia.
Tehran and Riyadh agreed to reopen their embassies within two months as part of a China-brokered deal signed in Beijing on March 10, but while diplomatic relations have been restored, reopening the embassy buildings has proved more challenging.
Iran reopened its embassy in Riyadh on June 6, followed by its consulate general in Jeddah and its mission to the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) a day later.
