In a meeting held in Geneva, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, jointly emphasized the critical need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the embattled region. Amir-Abdollahian urged the Muslim world to exert pressure on both the "Zionist regime" and the U.S. government to promptly implement the ceasefire and provide urgent aid to the Palestinian people.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan echoed the sentiment, stating that Riyadh and Tehran share a "common view" on supporting the Palestinian nation and advocating for an immediate cessation of Israel's aggressive actions in Gaza. He condemned the international community's "double-standard approach" to Israel's actions, deeming it unacceptable.
The Saudi foreign minister highlighted the intolerability of double standards concerning the Gaza war, criticizing the silence and lack of international action. The leaders also discussed the ongoing brutal war Israel initiated on October 7, following Palestinian resistance groups' Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, which was a response to intensified Israeli atrocities against Palestinians.
Additionally, the meeting touched upon the positive trajectory of Iran-Saudi relations, with Amir-Abdollahian expressing satisfaction with the progress. Both ministers emphasized the importance of enhanced economic and trade relations between Tehran and Riyadh, signaling readiness to strengthen bilateral ties in various fields.
The positive trend in relations was reinforced by Prince Faisal bin Farhan, who noted that Iran and Saudi Arabia are two influential countries in the West Asia region. The Saudi foreign minister welcomed the development of relations between the two nations and reaffirmed that relations are "on the right track."
This diplomatic effort follows a March agreement, brokered by China, for the restoration of diplomatic relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, which were severed in 2016. As part of a joint statement, the two countries committed to implementing security cooperation agreements from 2001 and 1998 to enhance ties across various sectors.
