Iranian maritime shipping has made a robust comeback to Libya’s Misrata port, following the Iranian authorities’ recent decision to resume embassy operations in the North African nation. This landmark move marks the reestablishment of the Iranian diplomatic team across Libyan cities after a decade-long hiatus.
Both Iran and Libya have pledged to bolster their bilateral relations in recent months. Libya has even elevated its diplomatic representation in Tehran from Chargé d’Affaires to Ambassador, manifesting a tangible enhancement of ties between the two nations.
This significant development ensued last week when the Libyan Ambassador to Iran presented his credentials to Ibrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran, as reported by Iran’s “ISNA” news agency.
Months ago, Tehran announced its intention to reopen its embassy in Libya. Consequently, a diplomatic delegation was dispatched to Tripoli for the reestablishment of the Iranian embassy. The Iranian diplomatic mission in Libya is currently headed by “Einollah Souri”, who has served in various diplomatic assignments for the Islamic Republic of Iran.
After roughly a decade of suspension, Iranian maritime shipping operations have now been resumed in Libya, with the first Iranian ship docking at the Misrata port. Einollah Souri, the head of the Iranian diplomatic mission in Libya, hopes to restore the bilateral relations between Iran and Libya to their former glory, particularly in the economic and commercial domains.
According to the Iranian diplomat, the Libyan Government of National Unity has warmly welcomed the presence of the Iranian embassy in Tripoli, with several meetings between the two sides held in recent times.
Previously, Libya and Iran had explored arrangements for the reopening of the Iranian embassy and activating a joint economic committee to enhance bilateral relations. Amid the 2011 protests against Muammar Gaddafi’s regime, all foreign embassies in Libya, including Iran’s, were closed down. The current resumption of Iranian maritime activities symbolizes a pivotal step in normalizing ties and economic recovery between these two countries.
