White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby has welcomed an agreement to reestablish diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

On Friday, Kirby said the United States welcomes any efforts to help de-escalate tensions in the Middle East.

At the same time, he said, "It really does remain to be seen whether the Iranians are going to honor their side of the deal."

Kirby said the Saudi Arabian side kept Washington informed about the talks, which were mediated by the Chinese government in Beijing.

Kirby also said it's unclear if the deal will affect or is designed to influence the possible normalization of Saudi Arabia's ties with Israel, adding that the US will continue to support the process.

US President Joe Biden said, "Better relations between Israel and their Arab neighbors are better for everybody."