Saudi King's Visit To Iran Would Mark Major Point In MENA Relations

The Iranian Foreign Ministry has confirmed that it has extended an offer to Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz to visit the country. The invite comes shortly after the restoration of official relations between the Middle Eastern regional powers, a deal that was brokered by Beijing in a sizeable blow to the US' diplomatic prestige in the region. If he takes up the offer, King Salman would be the first Saudi monarch to travel to Iran since King Fahd met with President Hashemi Rafsanjani in 1991.

• Speaking in the wake of the first meeting between the two nations' foreign ministers since 2016, Iranian foreign ministry spox Nasser Kanani stated that they hoped to have the respective diplomatic missions opened by 9 May, as laid down in the agreement.
• The increasing pivot towards China in terms of diplomacy in the region could see the US increasingly frozen out of decision-making or influence, notably on oil production levels where the White House's impact on cuts or increases to output has waned in recent years and shows little sign of recovery.