Saudi news agency reported early today, Monday, that Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian agreed to meet during the month of Ramadan. The agency noted that the ministers spoke by phone for the second time within a few days. It added, "During the call, a number of common topics were discussed in light of the trilateral agreement signed in the People's Republic of China, and the ministers agreed to hold a bilateral meeting during this current month of Ramadan."
Earlier this month, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume relations after years of hostility that threatened stability and security in the Gulf and contributed to fueling conflicts in the Middle East from Yemen to Syria. The announcement of the agreement between the parties, facilitated by China, followed previously undisclosed talks in Beijing between senior security officials from both countries. Analysts say both sides would benefit from de-escalation, as Iran seeks to undermine U.S. efforts to isolate it in the region while Saudi Arabia is trying to focus on economic development.
Saudi Arabia severed ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over the execution of a Shiite cleric in Riyadh. The Kingdom accused Iran of being responsible for missile attacks and drone strikes on its oil facilities in 2019, as well as attacks on oil tankers in the Gulf. Iran denied those accusations. The Iran-aligned Houthi movement in Yemen has launched missile and drone attacks across the border on Saudi Arabia, which leads a coalition against the Houthis, and in 2022, the Houthis expanded their attacks to include the UAE as well.
