What to make of Saudi-Iranian flurry of diplomatic activity, military channels?
A high-level military meeting between Saudi Arabia and Iran on Sunday marked another in a series of recent diplomatic engagements between the two nations.
A flurry of diplomatic activity and meetings between regional archrivals Saudi Arabia and Iran signals a change in Riyadh's geopolitical posture, as regional tensions continue to rise and a new US president seeks an end to Israel's Gaza and Lebanon wars.
Saudi Arabia’s highest military official, Chief of Staff Gen. Fayyad al-Ruwaili, met with his Iranian counterpart, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Bagheri, in Tehran on Sunday, where the two discussed bolstering defense ties. While this may hint at a deepening of Saudi-Iranian ties, two experts suggest a more complicated picture.
In their meeting, Ruwaili and Bagheri “discussed opportunities to develop bilateral relations between the two countries in the military and defense fields, in a way that contributes to enhancing security and stability in the region,” the Saudi Ministry of Defense said in a Sunday statement, with Iran’s state-run news agency IRNA confirming the same.
Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran Major General Mohammad Bagheri met with his Saudi counterpart Air Chief Marshal Fayyad bin Hamed Al-Ruwaili in Tehran on Sunday. pic.twitter.com/teD6BpUOw5
— IRNA News Agency ☫ (@IrnaEnglish) November 10, 2024
Just hours after the meeting between Ruwaili and Bagheri, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian spoke on the phone, where the two discussed Tehran-Riyadh ties and a summit hosted in Riyadh on Monday, which was attended by the crown prince and Iran’s First Vice President Mohammed Reza Aref, among other regional leaders.
