In this file photo released on July 6, 2023 by the Iranian Foreign Ministry on its X account, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian (right) shakes hands with Sudan's acting Foreign Minister Ali Sadeq Ali during their meeting on relations between Iran and Sudan, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (PHOTO / X ACCOUNT OF IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY@IRIMFA_EN)

TEHRAN/KHARTOUM - Iran and Sudan on Monday announced the resumption of their diplomatic ties, seven years after they were severed.

"The Republic of Sudan and the Islamic Republic of Iran decided to resume diplomatic relations between them to serve the interests of both countries following a number of high-level contacts during the past months," according to a joint statement agreed by the two countries and released by their foreign ministries on Monday.

Saudi Arabia cut its diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after the kingdom's embassy in Tehran was attacked. The storming of the Saudi Arabian embassy happened after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric

"The two governments agreed to develop friendly relations between them on the basis of mutual respect for sovereignty, equality, common interests, and peaceful coexistence," read the statement.

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Iran and Sudan also agreed to take the necessary measures for the reopening of their embassies soon and make arrangements for exchanging official delegations to discuss means of developing bilateral cooperation, according to the statement.

The statement said that the two sides agreed to expand joint cooperation in various fields in a manner that would serve the interests of the two countries' peoples and ensure the security and stability of the region.

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Sudan severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 following Saudi Arabia's move to cut ties with Tehran in the same year.

Saudi Arabia cut its diplomatic relations with Iran in January 2016 after the kingdom's embassy in Tehran was attacked. The storming of the Saudi Arabian embassy happened after the kingdom executed a Shiite cleric.