In a pivotal step toward diplomatic reconciliation, Iran and Saudi Arabia are poised to engage in formal discussions next week to reinstate direct scheduled flights between Tehran and Riyadh, as well as other cities.
Mohammad Mohammadi Bakhsh, Deputy Minister of Roads and Urban Development, disclosed that a bilateral working group is set to initiate negotiations, focusing on the resumption of non-Hajj flights.
This development comes on the heels of a Chinese-mediated agreement in March that successfully restored diplomatic relations, diffusing years of heightened tension with regional ramifications in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen.
Renewed regular flights signal a noteworthy progression in fostering ties, which were severed in 2016 over the execution of a Shia Muslim cleric and the subsequent storming of Riyadh’s embassy in Tehran. The reinstated flights aim to facilitate year-round travel, accommodating both pilgrimages, such as Umrah, and non-religious journeys.
Iran has already presented a list of potential airline partners, though the Saudi Arabian government is yet to provide an official response.
