Iran, Saudi Arabia resume trade: Minister

Tehran: An Iranian official announced that trade between Tehran and Saudi Arabia has resumed as the two Arab countries stepped up efforts to normalise ties following a China-brokered deal in March.

Trade Minister Reza Fatemi-Amin made the remarks to mediapersons on Tuesday when asked to comment on the agreement reached between Tehran and Riyadh to normalise bilateral relations in March, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Sunday, Iran’s Roads and Urban Development Minister Mehrdad Bazrpash announced that the country has received a proposal from Saudi Arabia to launch three regular flights between the two countries per week, in addition to the Haj flights.

Iran and Saudi Arabia reached a deal in March to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and missions in the two countries within two months.

In a meeting held in Beijing on April 6, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud signed a joint statement, announcing the resumption of diplomatic relations with immediate effect.

Riyadh cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran after the kingdom executed a Shia cleric.