After years of hostilities, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced that they would resume their ties.

This news comes after four days of secret negotiations in Beijing and will be seen by many as a significant step towards stability in Middle East.

The Iran’s top security officer signed the agreement, as well as Saudi Arabia’s national defense adviser. Wang Yi, the top Chinese diplomat, described it as “a victory for peace and dialogue”.

Iran and Riyadh have agreed to reopen their embassies in their respective capitals within the next two months. They will also respect each other’s sovereignty, and not interfere in their internal affairs.

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They will also activate a 2001 security agreement.

After protesters stormed the Saudi Embassy in Tehran in 2016, following the execution of Shi’ite cleric, the two Middle East power blocs severed relations seven years earlier.

Iran has been supporting the Houthi militia against the Saudi-backed government of Yemen since then. Saudi Arabia accuses Iran of attacking oil tankers in the Gulf.

Iran has denied all allegations.

Hossein Amirabdollahian, Iran’s foreign minister, welcomed the agreement and tweeted: “The neighbour policy, which is the key axis for the Iranian government’s foreign policy is strongly moving in a positive direction, and the diplomatic apparatus actively supports the preparation of further regional steps.

Iran also believes that it will help the West reach a new agreement on nuclear matters after recent talks have ended.

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The China negotiated the detente. This is one of many clearest indicators that many Middle East countries have begun to turn east after decades of US dominance.

It will be viewed as a major win for Chinese diplomacy within the Middle East, and it will not go unnoticed by Washington or European capitals.

We are still waiting to see all the details of the agreement.

The White House of Joe Biden has had a rocky relationship with the Saudi leadership since President Trump called the Kingdom a pariah after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

These relations became more strained when Saudi Arabia agreed not to reduce oil production. This move was seen by Washington as aiding Russia’s war against Ukraine. It raised oil prices and thus increased Moscow’s revenue.

Iran is now under more international sanctions after violent crackdowns on antigovernment protests within the country. The agreement could, in time help to relieve some of Iran’s economic woes.

It is unclear what the agreement means for Israel.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been open about his desire to normalize relations with Saudi Arabia. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has achieved this with a number other Arab countries as part of The Abraham Accords.

However, Israel and Iran are declared enemies.

Iran’s nuclear activities are regularly targeted by Israel, and Tehran supports militants in the West Bank and arms proxy groups such as Hezbollah at Israel’s borders.