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Iran's President Pezeshkian and Saudi Prince bin Salman discuss relations

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a telephone conversation to discuss relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The two spoke on Sunday evening. The Iranian president said he would not be able to attend a joint meeting of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Monday, November 11. The Iranian president claimed he had a busy schedule, Iranian state media IRNA reported.

The decision not to attend the important meeting is interesting. One might have assumed that Iran would want its supreme leader at the meeting, if only to use the meeting to rally support against Israel. Saudi Arabia has been very critical of Israel's actions in Gaza and Lebanon. Saudi Arabia wants to use the meeting to demonstrate its leadership in the Arab and Muslim world.

“Pezeshkian said that his Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref would attend the meeting and expressed his assurance that, thanks to the prudence of the Saudi Crown Prince, the meeting would lead to tangible results aimed at resolving the crimes of the Zionist regime in Gaza and in Lebanon,” the Iranian media said. “Referring to the determination of Iranian and Saudi officials, President Pezeshkian expressed hope that relations between the two countries will be further developed.”

The Saudi crown prince said he understood that Pezeshkian would not attend and wished Iran success.

“Relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are now at a historic turning point,” bin Salman said, expressing hope that bilateral relations will be elevated to their highest level, IRNA reported.

A view of the flags of Iran and Saudi Arabia before the meeting between Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud in Tehran, Iran, June 17, 2023. (Source: VIA REUTERS)

The crown prince invited Pezeshkian to a later visit to Saudi Arabia. China has helped broker reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran in recent years. “Iran's Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref left Tehran for Riyadh to attend the joint Arab League-OIC summit aimed at ending the Israeli regime's atrocities in the Gaza Strip and Lebanon,” Iranian state media reported on March 11. November.

Ending the ongoing war in Lebanon and Gaza

He flew to Saudi Arabia on Monday. “Before leaving for Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, Aref said that the event is primarily aimed at ending the ongoing war and bloodshed in Lebanon and Palestine,” IRNA reported. Representatives from more than 50 countries are coming to Riyadh for the meeting.

The meeting comes as the region prepares for the inauguration of new US President Donald Trump. In May 2017, US President Donald Trump attended an Arab-Islamic-American summit in Saudi Arabia. Arab leaders such as MBS and Mahmoud Abbas have spoken to Trump since his November 5 election victory.



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