Saudi crown prince, Iran's FM meet in Jeddah, discuss resolving Middle East conflicts

On July 8, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah to discuss bilateral ties and regional developments, in a fresh sign of continuing diplomatic engagement between the two regional powers.

The meeting took place at the Al-Salam Palace, where both sides reviewed the current state of Saudi-Iranian relations and exchanged views on efforts to stabilise the broader Middle East, Caliber.Az reports, citing Saudi media.

Crown Prince bin Salman reaffirmed Riyadh’s commitment to pursuing diplomacy and dialogue as essential tools for resolving conflicts. He emphasised that Saudi Arabia continues to support peaceful solutions to regional disputes, underscoring the importance of open communication channels between neighbouring countries.

For his part, Minister Araghchi expressed appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s stance on recent Israeli strikes against Iran, thanking the kingdom for its condemnation of the attacks. He also highlighted Tehran’s interest in expanding cooperation and sustaining dialogue on matters of mutual concern.

Notably, since the China-brokered rapprochement in March 2023, Riyadh and Tehran have steadily reopened embassies, launched talks in Oman/Iraq, and reassured each other on sovereignty and non-interference.

Since the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June, Saudi Arabia has stepped back from normalisation with Israel, opting instead to deepen ties with Iran. Reuters and others say Riyadh is prioritising reconciliation with Tehran as central to its diplomatic strategy.

Gulf states, including Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar, are working to dampen fallout from regional conflicts (Israel–Iran, Gaza), calling for restraint and playing mediating roles to contain the crisis. 

By Khagan Isayev