Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Qin Gang meets with Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Beijing, capital of China, April 6, 2023. The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on April 10, 2023 that Iran and Saudi Arabia will exchange ambassadors after the reopening of their diplomatic missions, which will positively impact on regional peace, stability and security, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

TEHRAN – The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Monday that Iran and Saudi Arabia will exchange ambassadors after the reopening of their diplomatic missions, which will positively impact on regional peace, stability and security, Iran's official news agency IRNA reported.

In a press conference, Nasser Kanaani said the Saudi team arrived in Iran on Saturday to lay the groundwork for the reopening of the kingdom's embassy in Tehran and consulate general in the northeastern city of Mashhad.

In a press conference, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said the Saudi team arrived in Iran on Saturday to lay the groundwork for the reopening of the kingdom's embassy in Tehran and consulate general in the northeastern city of Mashhad

He added that the Iranian delegation will soon travel to Saudi Arabia for the same purpose ahead of the scheduled reopening of Iran's embassy in Riyadh and its consulate general and representative office to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Jeddah.

Following the signing of a joint statement by Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Beijing on Thursday, the two countries have practically resumed official diplomatic relations, Kanaani said.

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Praising China for its "goodwill and positive approach" and "constructive role" in the normalization of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, Kanaani said Beijing had helped complete the diplomatic process that started in Baghdad and Muscat, and bring about a "constructive transformation" in relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

During their meeting in Beijing on Thursday, the Iranian and Saudi foreign ministers agreed to lay the groundwork for the exchange of economic delegations from public and private sectors, and hold meetings between their joint economic commissions, according to Kanaani.

Meanwhile, IRNA also reported Kanaani said Monday that the resumption of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia will have positive impacts on regional peace, stability and security.

Making the remarks at his first press conference in the current Iranian calendar year, Kanaani said the Beijing-brokered agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to normalize ties has met with "very positive reactions" in the region, and welcomed at the international level, according to the report.

The agreement would definitely have positive impacts on strengthening regional cooperation, so as to foster peace, stability and security in the region, as well as on boosting trade and economic relations not only between Iran and Saudi Arabia but also with other regional countries, Kanaani noted.

China, Saudi Arabia, and Iran announced on March 10 that the latter two had reached a deal that includes the agreement to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies and diplomatic missions within two months.

In a meeting in Beijing on Thursday, 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.

Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 in response to the attacks on Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric