TEHRAN, March 21 – RIA Novosti. Iran’s Minister of Economy and Finance, Ehsan Khanduzi, in an interview with RIA Novosti, said that Iran is ready to restart economic relations with all Arab countries in the Middle East region following the agreement on the re-establishment of diplomatic relations with Saudi Arabia.

“On the basis of the neighbor policy, our government is fully prepared to restart economic relations with all countries in the region (Middle East – ed.) and sees strengthening good neighborly relations with them as a factor in strengthening the region itself. “Saudi Arabia will have the opportunity for economic interaction with Iran,” Khanduzi said. said.

An agreement on the resumption of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh, mediated by Beijing, was signed on March 10, and embassies are scheduled to open within two months. The joint statement was signed after several days of talks in Beijing between the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and his Saudi counterpart. It was noted that the foreign ministers of the two countries planned to meet to discuss the implementation of the agreement.

Diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh were cut short in 2016 after protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran, protesting the kingdom’s execution of prominent Shiite theologian Nimr al-Nimr, but in recent months the two sides have expressed a desire to resolve differences. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview with The Atlantic in September that relations with Iran should be built the same as with a neighboring country. But in connection with the unrest in Iran, the country’s authorities began to accuse Saudi Arabia of involvement and support.