Flags of Iran and Saudi Arabia
An IRGC-affiliated daily in Tehran says Riyadh is reducing tensions with the ‘resistance front’ and the move has made Washington and Israel angry.
‘Resistance front’ is Islamic Republic’s jargon for it allies and proxies in the region, including Palestinian militant groups.
Tasnim News Agency wrote Sunday that Saudi Arabia is rapidly restoring relations with the resistance axis “disappointing Israel which hoped to normalize relations with the kingdom”.
After reaching a deal with Tehran to reopen embassies, Saudis sent a delegation to Yemen to end the eight-year-long war, added the daily.
Referring to the invitation of the Syrian foreign minister and a senior Hamas delegation to Riyadh, Tasnim claimed that Saudis are opening a new chapter in their relations with the resistance axis.
After years of hostility that fueled conflicts across the Middle East, Tehran and Riyadh agreed to end their diplomatic rift and re-open embassies in a major deal facilitated by China last month.
Beijing's role in the breakthrough between Tehran and Riyadh shook up the dynamics in the Middle East, where the United States was for decades the main backer of Saudi Arabia.
Iran’s regime that is shunned by the West and isolated by US sanctions has heralded the revival of ties with Riyadh as a significant victory and a defeat for the United States in the region.
Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed by mob of hardliners supporters of the regime during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shiite Muslim cleric.