Turning a New Page: Iranian Foreign Ministers Historic Visit to Saudi Arabia

3^min

Amid discussions of rifts that have undermined the prospects for improved relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia since the March Beijing Agreement, the two regional powers have taken a step forward in their relationship.

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian arrived in Saudi Arabia on his first official visit since diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia resumed.

Although the visit spans only a single day, its implications will encompass bilateral relations and various regional issues. How will the relationship between the two nations evolve following this visit?

Are the reports about a potential visit by the Iranian president to the Kingdom before the year's end, especially in light of the renewed invitation from the Saudi Foreign Minister, accurate?

What will be the repercussions of this visit on Middle Eastern affairs, which have experienced changes since the bilateral agreement, most notably Saudi Arabia reestablishing relations with Syria, intensifying peace efforts in Yemen, and Washington's pursuit of normalization between the Kingdom and Israel?

Furthermore, how will the concerned countries react to this event?

A source from Iran Nuances states that high-level meetings between Iranian and Saudi officials reflect a strong political will from both sides to enhance and improve their bilateral relations, potentially influencing their stances on regional and international issues.

On the other hand, it is expected that Western parties, particularly the United States and its ally Israel, will closely monitor Amir-Abdollahian's meetings with Saudi leaders. They are concerned that any development in Tehran-Riyadh relations could compromise their regional interests.

In the same context, it is anticipated that US officials will reach out to Riyadh after this visit to inquire about the meeting details and to continue pressuring the Saudi side to limit its relations with Iran.

The visit of CIA Director William Burns to Saudi Arabia after the Iran-Saudi diplomatic relations were resumed was a clear sign of the White House's dissatisfaction with this development. Likewise, the repeated secret and overt trips of Jake Sullivan, the US National Security Advisor, to Saudi Arabia underscore these concerns.