China’s extraordinary diplomatic breakthrough, getting the hostile governments of Saudi Arabia and Iran to lay aside their differences and work together, is quickly bearing fruit. Saudi Arabia’s King Salman has invited Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to a meeting in Riyadh, Raisi’s Deputy Chief of Staff said on March 19. After seven years of intense confrontation between the two countries and no diplomatic relations, planning is also underway for a meeting between the two countries’ foreign ministers.
Salman extended his invitation in a letter to Raisi, according to today’s tweet by Saudi Deputy Chief of Staff Mohammad Jamshidi. He added: “Welcoming this invitation, the President emphasized Iran’s readiness to strengthen cooperation.” In a follow-up tweet, Jamshidi noted that Salman, in his letter, referred to Saudi Arabia and Iran as “brotherly countries.”