Some Turkish schools in Saudi Arabia closed by the kingdom last year have reopened, a Turkish diplomat said Saturday.

"A number of schools run by the Turkish Education Ministry began to operate on Sept. 2," Hüseyin Eren Yıldız from the Turkish Consulate in Jeddah city told Anadolu Agency (AA).

He said Turkish primary schools in the cities of Jeddah, Dammam and Tabuk have been reopened.

"We will continue our intensive efforts to reopen schools in Riyadh, Abha, Mecca, Medina and Taif," he added.

Saudi authorities closed eight Turkish schools in the kingdom in the school year 2020-2021.

Relations between Turkey and Saudi Arabia deteriorated in the past decade, but both countries are now seeking to revive ties. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) visited Turkey for the first time in years in June for talks with Erdoğan as the two countries aim to normalize their relations following several tumultuous years.

According to a joint declaration, the leaders emphasized the countries' determination to start a new era of comprehensive cooperation in many areas. Ankara and Riyadh decided to deepen consultation and cooperation in regional issues to strengthen stability and peace.

The two leaders vowed to develop and maintain cooperation on the basis of the "historical brotherhood" of the two nations for the future of the region. They also highlighted the importance of increasing the number of flights between their two countries, easing bilateral trade and exploring investment opportunities.