DUBAI: Saudi officials have arrived in Iran to discuss procedures for reopening Riyadh’s embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad after China brokered a deal to restore relations between the two countries, the Saudi foreign ministry said on Saturday.

After years of hostility that fuelled conflicts, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to end their diplomatic rift and reopen their diplomatic missions in March.

Chinese President Xi Jinping helped broker the surprise deal which left the United States on the sidelines.

Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh’s execution of a Shiite cleric.