▁February ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁ ▁History ▁of ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁ ▁The ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁country ▁to ▁recognize ▁and ▁establish ▁full ▁diplom atic ▁relations ▁with ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 6 . ▁Kar im ▁Kh ak im ov ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁amb assador ▁to ▁the ▁kingdom . ▁He ▁visited ▁King ▁I bn ▁Sa ud ' s ▁residence ▁and ▁delivered ▁a ▁formal ▁note ▁recogn izing ▁and ▁appro ving ▁his ▁status ▁as ▁a ▁King ▁of ▁Sa udi ▁Arab ia ▁from ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁and ▁its ▁al lies . ▁Kar im ▁Kh ak im ov ▁was ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Russian ▁Lawrence ▁of ▁Arab ia . ▁His ▁mission ▁was ▁terminated ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁but ▁he ▁was ▁again ▁appointed ▁amb assador ▁on ▁December ▁ 7 , ▁ 1 9 3 5 ▁and ▁remained ▁so ▁until ▁September ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 9 3 7 . ▁When ▁Kh ak im ov ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁he ▁was ▁executed ▁on ▁the ▁order ▁of ▁Soviet ▁leader ▁Joseph ▁St alin ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 8 ▁on ▁susp icion ▁of ▁esp ion age . ▁Kh ak im ov ' s ▁execution ▁greatly ▁anger ed ▁I bn ▁Sa ud , ▁who ▁referred ▁to ▁Kh ak im ov ▁as ▁his ▁closest ▁friend . ▁The ▁relations ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁states ▁d eter ior ated ▁and ▁the ▁emb ass y ▁in ▁R iy ad h ▁was ▁closed , ▁with ▁Soviet ▁Muslim s ▁prevent ed ▁from ▁att ending ▁ha j