Egypt's President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi has welcomed the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. In a statement on Saturday, the president said that Egypt "appreciates this important step, and welcomes the direction taken by Saudi Arabia in this regard, in order to end regional tension." This step "is based on the principles and purposes of the UN Charter in terms of respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, consolidating the concepts of good neighbourliness and enhancing security and stability in the region," the statement read. Last Friday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) announced that Riyadh and Tehran had agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies in Tehran and Riyadh within two months. The agreement was reached after talks that took place in China with President Xi Jinping. SPA added that the talks came as a desire from both Tehran and Riyadh to resolve differences through dialogue and diplomacy. The Saudi agency quoted a Saudi, Chinese, and Iranian statement that the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia and Iran will meet to arrange the exchange of ambassadors and discuss ways to strengthen relations, and indicated that Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to activate the security cooperation agreement between them, and they also agreed to respect the sovereignty of countries and not to interfere in their internal affairs. Meanwhile, Egypt said that it Egypt looks forward to this development having a positive impact on Iran's regional and international policies and that it constitutes an opportunity to confirm its direction towards pursuing a policy that takes into account the legitimate concerns of the countries of the region, in a way that enhances opportunities for cooperation and consolidation of positive communications among them, in order to chart a path that meets the aspirations of the peoples of the region for prosperity and progress. The Saudi-Iranian step was welcomed by several regional and international countries including the US, as the White House said that the US welcomes any steps that could mediate the situation in Yemen and lighten tensions in the Middle East. Iraq, Qatar, Oman, Algeria, Jordan, and Palestine's Hamas movement welcomed the step, expressing hope for a new phase of peace in the region. Israel was the only regional side that expressed concerns over the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement.
