By Beyza Binnur Donmez
GENEVA (AA) – The EU on Saturday welcomed the agreement by Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic ties after officials of the two countries met in China.
"The European Union welcomes the announced agreement on resumption of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran, and looks forward to its implementation," Peter Stano, the lead spokesperson for the external affairs of the EU, said in a statement.
"The EU acknowledges the diplomatic efforts leading to this important step," Stano added.
Riyadh and Tehran are central for the regional security, he emphasized, saying that the resumption of bilateral relations "can contribute to the stabilization of the region as a whole."
The EU's key priorities in the Middle East are to achieve deescalation of tensions and promote peace and stability, Stano stressed.
The union remains ready to engage with all actors in the region "in a gradual and inclusive approach, and in full transparency," according to the spokesperson.
The two Persian Gulf neighbors severed their diplomatic ties after the Saudi diplomatic mission in Tehran was attacked by an angry mob in January 2016 over the execution of a Saudi Shia cleric, Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
The two estranged neighbors were engaged in marathon talks brokered by Iraq since April 2021 to restore diplomatic ties. Both Tehran and Riyadh noted progress but the breakthrough had been eluding.