Embassy reopenings in Saudi Arabia and Syria

Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to resume diplomatic relations nearly 10 years after cutting ties. The move marks another rapprochement between Riyadh and its former foes, after the Gulf kingdom also restored diplomacy with Iran under a deal brokered by China. The Syrian Foreign Ministry confirmed the decision in a statement, saying the renewed diplomacy would strengthen “bilateral relations between Arab countries to serve joint Arab action.” The Saudi Foreign Ministry issued a similar notice on Tuesday, stressing “the brotherhood ties that unite the peoples of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Syrian Arab Republic.” The move would “enhance security and stability in the region,” the Saudi Foreign Ministry added. Saudi officials were among the first to condemn Assad’s handling of anti-government protests at the time. Following a normalization deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran mediated by China in March, the region has seen renewed efforts to mend ties between former adversaries, with the United Arab Emirates also voicing willingness to improve relations with Syria.