Iran's counterbalancing act: Araghchi in Saudi Arabia ahead of Trump tour
The Iranian foreign minister's visit is seen as Tehran's effort to rally Saudi support behind its position in the US-Iran nuclear talks amid escalating threats from American officials, which have fueled uncertainty about the fate of the fragile diplomatic initiative.
TEHRAN — Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi headed to Riyadh on Saturday for talks with senior Saudi officials on the eve of the fourth round of Iran-US nuclear negotiations and only three days before US President Donald Trump's highly anticipated visit to the oil-rich kingdom.
According to a statement by Iran's foreign ministry, Araghchi will discuss regional security and bilateral ties as part of "Iran's principled policy of expanding relations with regional countries." The meetings are expected to cover the US-Iran nuclear diplomacy, energy security and the Yemen conflict.
Archrivals Iran and Saudi Arabia signed a China-brokered rapprochement agreement in 2023 that ended a seven-year pause in their diplomatic relations. While the thaw has seen little progress, Araghchi will seek to use it in Tehran's best interest, hopefully gaining Saudi support in the strategic nuclear negotiations, as the Islamic Republic is facing an increasing risk of a conflict with Washington if the diplomatic initiative ends in impasse.
The Iranian foreign minister will also fly to Doha on the same day to attend the Iran-Arab World Dialogue summit, which is focused on Iran's broader engagement with Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
