Iran has appointed a new ambassador to Saudi Arabia, signaling an improvement in relations between the two countries after a gap of more than seven years. The appointment of Alireza Enayati, who previously served as Iran’s ambassador to Kuwait, assistant to the foreign minister, and director general of Gulf affairs at the foreign ministry, according to Iran Daily, indicates a major shift in the relationship between the former regional rivals.
Following the kingdom’s execution of cleric Nimr al-Nimr, the Saudi Arabia-Iran relationship soured in 2016, and the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad were attacked during protests. As of yet, there has been no comment on the appointment by the Islamic republic’s foreign ministry.
