Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian says the Islamic Republic is going to invite King of Saudi Arabia to visit Tehran even though the ageing monarch’s last foreign visit was four years ago.

In a bid to show the success of the recent detente with its regional rival, Abdollahian has been overblowing the ideas of a royal visit.

The ageing Saudi king’s last foreign trip was in 2019, since then, his son and de facto ruler, Mohammed Bin Salman, taking over all overseas duties. In spite of denials from the kingdom, it is widely believed the King has dementia and his role in public life continues to lessen.

The country’s foreign ministers, Saudi’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, have spoken twice over the last week to discuss details of the new relations, after a deal brokered by Beijing broke a diplomatic deadlock dating back to 2016.

Pro-regime mobs attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia, causing years of hostility.

However, as Iran’s proxy militia in Yemen, the Houthis, continues to attack Saudi-led coalition in spite of a weak ceasefire, it will not be plain sailing as the two rivals thrash out the fine print.

Iran will no doubt be reluctant to abide by the conditions of exerting greater control over its proxy militia which has been the thorn in Saudi’s side since the war in Yemen broke out eight years ago.