- FM Araghchi thanks Riyad for his position against Israeli attacks.
- The Iranian Minister also meets Saudi Foreign Ministers.
- The two parties discuss bilateral relations, regional developments.
Riyadh: The Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs had talks with the de facto chief of Saudi Arabia two weeks after a ceasefire between regional rivals, Iran and Israel began.
Crown prince Mohammed Bin Salman said his country hoped that truce would contribute to regional stability and stressed Riyadh’s position “to support dialogue by diplomatic means as a way to resolution of disputes,” said the Saudi ministry of Saudi affairs on X early Wednesday.
According to the Saudi ministry, Iranian Minister for Foreign Affairs Abbas Araghchi “expressed his gratitude” to Riyadh for his condemnation of Israel’s attacks on Iran last month.
Israel launched its unprecedented bombing campaign on Iran on June 13, targeting military and nuclear installations as well as residential areas.
Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,000 people, including higher military commanders and nuclear scientists, according to Tehran.
Israel, in turn, was struck by waves of Iran’s drones and missiles, which, according to Israeli authorities, left at least 28 dead.
The United States, which had been on talks with Iran from its nuclear program since April, have carried out its own strikes on Iran on June 22, targeting several nuclear sites.
The talks between Tehran and Washington have since stopped, but the ceasefire between Iran and Israel has been in place since June 24.
Iran and Saudi Arabia have often been on the opposite sides of regional conflicts, including in Syria and Yemen.
The two regional heavyweights broke diplomatic relations in 2016 before restoring them in 2023 under a rapprochement agreement negotiated by China.
This was equivalent to a diplomatic achievement for MBS, which has adopted a more conciliatory approach to regional diplomacy in recent years.
Saudi Arabia condemned Israeli strikes on Iran last month, describing them as “assaults” and a “clear violation of international laws”.
Riyadh also expressed his “big concern” following American strikes on Iranian nuclear installations.
The spokesman for the Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Esmaeil Baqaei, said that Araghchi had organized “fruitful conversations” with Prince Mohammed, as well as Prince Faire Bin Farhan and the Minister of Defense Prince Khaled Bin Salman on bilateral relations and developments in the region.
