Saudi Arabia, Syria discuss restoring relations

Saudi Arabia is in talks with Syria to reopen its embassy in the war-torn nation for the first time in a decade, state television reported late on Thursday. The announcement came after Chinese-mediated talks in Beijing saw Saudi Arabia and Iran agree to reopen embassies in each other’s' nations after years of tensions.

Syrian President Bashar Assad has maintained his grip on power in the Mediterranean nation rocked by the 2011 Arab Spring only with the help of Iran and Russia, which made a historic call earlier in the day to Oman. Saudi Arabian state television aired a report late on Thursday quoting an anonymous official in the country's Foreign Ministry acknowledging the talks between the Kingdom and Damascus.