What’s happening
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recently held discussions with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Riyadh, aimed at regional developments. This meeting signifies Saudi Arabia’s ongoing political engagement with Tehran to ease tensions in the area, despite the complexities in their relations. Araghchi’s agenda included dialogue on securing ceasefires in Lebanon and Gaza, with a subsequent visit to Qatar also on the itinerary.
Why it matters
The discussions in Riyadh occur against the backdrop of heightened Middle East tensions following Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Israel earlier this month. This act, Tehran claimed, was in retaliation for assumed Israeli involvement in the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. The region anticipates Israel’s strategic response. Both countries represent significant powers in the Middle East, and their moves directly impact regional peace and security.
Israel’s stance
Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has affirmed Israel’s position, stating the nation will respond to Iran’s hostilities with a “lethal, precise and especially surprising” strategy, underscoring what he described as Iran’s operational failure. The country aims to combat persistent threats from Hezbollah, a group known for its aggression directed towards northern Israel through effective military guard.
Threats from Iran
Iran has issued a firm warning to Gulf Arab nations, labeling the allowance of their airspace or bases for operations against it as “unacceptable.” It cautioned consequences should they facilitate such activities, spotlighting brimming regional sensitivities.
Diplomatic Dynamics
While engaging diplomatically with Iran, Saudi Arabia concurrently explores possibilities of normalizing relations with Israel per a US-facilitated plan. Although optimism for an agreement has dampened due to ongoing conflicts involving Israel, this represents a continued search for broader diplomatic reconciliation within the region. Alongside, the United States and several Arab countries are endeavoring through discreet channels to broker a comprehensive ceasefire that includes proxies aligned with Iran, such as Hezbollah, the Houthis of Yemen, and resistance groups from Iraq.
This story was first published on timesofisrael.com.