• Analysis Arms race between Saudi Arabia and Iran

The two giants - and great rivals - of the Middle East agree to restore relations.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have confirmed this Friday a rapprochement after

seven years of hostilities

that threatened the stability and security of the region and that have served to add fuel to the fire in the conflicts in Syria and Yemen.

The agreement has been announced in Beijing, after four days of secret negotiations in which China has mediated.

Tehran and Riyadh pledge to "resume diplomatic relations" and reopen their embassies and missions "within no more than two months," according to a statement issued jointly by Iran, Saudi Arabia and China.

"The agreement includes its affirmation of respect for the sovereignty of States and non-interference in internal affairs," continues the statement released by the official agencies of both countries, Irna and Saudi Press, and has been collected by Reuters.

The two Middle Eastern powers have lived through a long cycle of tensions as countries supporting different sides in regional conflicts and historically harboring opposing majorities in the

Sunni-Shiite divide of Islam

.

Saudi Arabia severed relations with Iran in 2016 after protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

A few days earlier, Riyadh had executed a prominent Shiite religious figure, sparking clashes.

From then on, the disagreements grew.

For example, Saudi Arabia blamed Iran for

missile and drone attacks

on its oil facilities in 2019, and also blamed Tehran for attacks on oil tankers in Gulf waters.

Iran denied the accusations.

The war in Yemen has been one of the scenarios of the

'proxy war'

(

proxy war

, in the term coined in English) that the two powers have waged.

The movement of the Houthis from Yemen, close to Iran, which is fighting against the government supported by Saudi Arabia, has extended its attacks on the kingdom, with missiles and drones that have even reached the Riyadh airport.

Saudi Arabia has led a coalition against the Houthis since 2015, along with the United Arab Emirates.

Now, by the agreement signed this Friday, the Islamic Republic and the Wahhabi kingdom agree to activate a

security cooperation agreement signed in 2001

, as well as another previous agreement on trade, economy and investment.

The

mediation of China and Oman have been key

.

In the rapprochement talks - which took place throughout 2021 and 2022 - Iraq, the cradle of Shiism and over which Iran exercises great political influence, has also contributed.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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