LAHORE: Former prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday welcomed the normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran in a landmark development facilitated by China. Taking to Twitter, the former premier shared a news story of British publication regarding the restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, welcoming the development.

Imran Khan noted that his government had taken an initiative to bring Riyadh and Tehran together for dialogue “as part of our policy of wider engagement for peace and unity of the Ummah”. The PTI Chairman also appreciated the role of China in the diplomatic breakthrough. Earlier on March 10, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish relations after seven years of hostility which had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.

The deal was announced after four days of previously undisclosed talks in Beijing between top security officials from the two rival Middle East powers.