Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said the deal with Iran was based on respect for the sovereignty of states and good neighbourliness, while a Saudi official was quoted by AFP as saying that talks with Iran in Beijing resulted in what he described as concrete commitments on Yemen.

Bin Farhan added in a speech at the ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in the Mauritanian capital that his country looks forward to the agreement with Iran enhancing the security and stability of the Arab Gulf region.

He added that his country supports dialogue, "and from this point of view it has held talks for more than two years with brothers in Iran in Baghdad, Muscat and Beijing."

The Saudi Foreign Minister affirmed the Kingdom's support for the peace of Yemen and the UN efforts aimed at reaching a full and permanent ceasefire, and starting the political process between the Yemeni government and the Houthis.

In Tehran, Alireza Enayati, director of the Middle East Department of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said that the agreement on the resumption of relations with Riyadh will pave the way for cooperation between the two sides for the benefit of the region.

Enayati added that he hopes that this agreement will lead to relations based on respect for the principle of good neighborliness, and contribute to lasting cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

He explained that a meeting will be held between the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran to discuss the details of the return of the ambassadors of the two countries.

Regarding the Yemen file, Enayati said that the solution to this crisis is political, and that Tehran supports the ceasefire agreement, and calls for the lifting of the siege imposed on the Yemeni people.

Impact on Yemen

A Saudi official revealed that talks with Iran in Beijing resulted in what he described as concrete commitments on Yemen.

The Saudi official added – in statements to the French – that the Kingdom is holding talks with the Houthis to revive the truce that ended last October, and push for a political settlement that includes all Yemeni parties.

Iran is the main supplier of weapons, training and propaganda programmes to the Houthis, and Saudi Arabia is the main victim of these missiles and aircraft, so Iran can do a lot and stop the supply of weapons to the Houthis, he said.

The Saudi official also said that the United States and China are important partners, and that the kingdom does not want to be a party to any competition or dispute between the two powers.

He also revealed that Riyadh briefed US officials before its delegation traveled to Beijing and before the announcement of the agreement with Iran.

The Wall Street Journal quoted US and Saudi officials as saying that Iran had agreed to halt arms shipments to the Houthis in Yemen, in implementation of the agreement it recently reached with Riyadh.

U.S. and Saudi officials have said they want to know whether Iran will stick to the deal until the end as the two countries press ahead with plans to reopen their embassies within two months.

One U.S. official also noted that Iran's approach to the conflict in Yemen would be a real test of the success of a diplomatic deal with Saudi Arabia, which he said gives impetus to the prospect of a deal on Yemen soon.

The Associated Press quoted the State Department as saying that special envoy for Yemen Timothy Lenderking will visit Saudi Arabia and Oman this week in an effort to build on the UN-brokered truce.

A U.S. official said that if China could play an enhanced role in ending "hostilities" in Yemen, the administration would consider that a good thing.

The U.S. official added that China had pounced on the Iran-Saudi talks at a time when the fruit was already ripe.

Visit to the UAE

In Abu Dhabi, the Emirates News Agency reported that President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed received Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, and discussed with him bilateral relations and ways of cooperation between the two countries in various fields, in order to achieve common interests.

Shamkhani said that cooperation between the countries of the region must replace disagreement and hostility, adding - during his meeting with the UAE National Security Advisor Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan - that overcoming the challenges that the region is going through requires strengthening cooperation between its countries, and that these challenges are not in favor of any of them.

The secretary of Iran's National Security Council stressed that the difference and lack of trust between the countries of the region is a major obstacle to development in the region, and is in favor of their enemies.

Shamkhani explained that his visit to Abu Dhabi is a good station for the two countries to enter a new phase of strengthening relations in the economic, political and security fields.

The secretary of Iran's National Security Council quoted the UAE's national security adviser as saying that cooperation and friendship with Iran is important for the UAE, and that strengthening relations with it is one of Abu Dhabi's priorities.

He also praised the Saudi-Iranian agreement, considering it a constructive agreement to enhance security and stability in the region.