After a meeting between Ayatollah Hashemi Rafsanjani and Saudi Arabia’s new ambassador to Iran, Saudis on Twitter criticized the warm meeting between the regional rivals.

Saudis used the hashtag #Saudi ambassador kisses Rafsanjani’s head to criticize Abdulrahman Bin Groman Shahri for kissing Rafsanjani during their greeting in Tehran. Many felt that the ambassador should not have been so friendly toward a top official of a country perceived as an enemy.

Fars News, however, covered the Saudis' activity on Twitter and translated Arabic tweets into Persian. Shiite Saudis questioned why they are sometimes accused of being “mercenaries for Iran” or of being Iranian, yet their ambassador “kisses the forehead of the one of the Iranian leaders,” reported Fars. The article also translated the tweets of Saudis who support the Syrian opposition and were angered that a Saudi official would greet someone whose government is supporting President Bashar al-Assad. Some of them even juxtaposed pictures of dead Syrians with that of the ambassador and Rafsanjani kissing.

Reformist newspapers in Iran gave the meeting positive coverage. Etemaad put the kiss on its front page. Hard-line media, typically critical of Rafsanjani and his efforts to reach out to regional neighbors, especially Saudi Arabia, have not reacted strongly to the meeting. Rafsanjani’s personal website also commented on the issue and shared pictures of the meeting.