According to the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), the country’s Customs Administration's spokesman Roohollah Latifi said that Saudi Arabia has “rejoined” the list of countries to which Iran exports. He added that in the first half of the Iranian calendar year, which starts March 21, they have exported a total of $22.5 billion worth of goods to 15 countries, IRNA reported.
Iran last week expressed readiness to resume exports to Saudi Arabia provided that bilateral tensions wane, the semi-official Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA) reported, adding that exports between Tehran and Riyadh “stopped” as tensions had escalated in recent years.
An Iranian official said in October of last year that exports to Saudi Arabia had reached “zero” in 2020.
Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic have endured rocky relations since 1979 when Shia revolutionaries came to power in Iran and pledged to export their revolution to the world, including to the Gulf countries. Iran’s support for the Houthi rebels in the Yemeni civil war since late 2014 has caused concerns for the Saudi establishment.
Their relations took a notable dive in 2016, when Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions after the Kingdom executed Shiite cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr. They also criticize each other’s nuclear activities.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Friday said the government is serious about talks with Iran as part of their agenda to stabilize the region.
