Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) — Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said Sunday that Switzerland has agreed to handle its diplomatic services in Iran so that Iranian pilgrims can continue to visit the oil-rich kingdom.
Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Iran last month after protesters outraged over the kingdom's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric set fire to the Saudi Embassy and another diplomatic mission.
Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said the Swiss would facilitate procedures for Iranian Muslims to visit Saudi Arabia for religious pilgrimages. He spoke during a visit by his Swiss counterpart, Didier Burkhalter.
The Swiss Embassy in Tehran already provides consular services to U.S. citizens in Iran in the absence of an American diplomatic mission there.
Switzerland has separately offered to represent Iranian interests in Saudi Arabia, Iran's semi-official ISNA news agency quoted Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Jaberi Ansari as saying. He said Switzerland is prepared to assume that role once consultations with Saudi Arabia are finalized.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
