Tehran has been a key ally to Damascus throughout Syria's war, offering vital economic and military assistance that has helped the Syrian government claw back most of the territory it lost at the start of the conflict.

Relations between Britain and China are the worst in decades after London restricted Chinese investment over national security concerns and expressed concern at Beijing's increasing military and economic assertiveness.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed steps towards reopening the embassies and consulates of the two countries, reports say.

Biden says after a US fighter jet shot down a suspected Chinese spy balloon that he planned to speak to Xi about the episode and clear the air, but this has yet to happen and tensions have only risen since.

Earlier this month, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to revive relations after years of hostility that had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and helped fuel conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria.

The relationship has been strained by a dispute over wartime history.

The appearance of the balloon over the US caused political outrage and prompted US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a trip to Beijing that both countries had hoped would patch their frayed relations.

Biden's announcement came a day after Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said the US must immediately freeze all cooperation with Saudi Arabia, including arms sales.

The two Koreas have held family reunions around major holidays, mostly under liberal governments in the South, which have sought to reengage the North and provide food and other handouts.

Russia is working to replace goods imported from Western countries and in time, rely only on 'reliable' countries not beholden to the West.

India has called for an end to violence in Ukraine but refrained from outright condemnation of Russia, with which it has long-standing political and security ties.