Iranian flag flies in front of the UN office building, housing IAEA headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Vienna, Austria, May 24, 2021. Photo: REUTERS/Lisi Niesner

i24 News – Palestinian Arab factions over the weekend hailed Iran and Saudi Arabia’s decision to restore diplomatic ties, according to media reports.

Tehran and Riyadh announced on Friday that they would restore diplomatic ties within two months following talks in China after years of hostility.

“The Palestinian presidency appreciates the role of China in contributing to the conclusion of the agreement,” the office of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said in a statement.

“We hope the agreement will lead to stability and enhance the positive atmosphere in the region,” it added.

Tayseer Khaled, a senior official of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), expressed hope that the initiative constitutes “a major step in addressing the economic, political and security challenges the Middle East faces,” as cited by the Jerusalem Post.

Khaled praised China for the “great achievement,” saying the agreement “deals a severe blow to the policy of hegemony pursued by successive U.S. administrations and to the policy of the right-wing Israeli government.”

Khalil al-Haya, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said the Saudi-Iranian deal was an “important step towards unifying the ranks of the Muslim community.” According to him, this agreement “will strengthen security and understanding between Arab and Islamic countries and will contribute to the stability of the region.”

“This important step is in the interest of the Palestinian cause and supports the steadfastness of our people in the face of the occupation and its continued aggression against our land, our people and our holy places,” Haya said in a statement.