Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey seek dialogue as regional security concerns mount

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Mariella Succar

An Israeli newspaper reported Sunday that “Iran is rearming itself out of fear of another Israeli strike on its territory in the near future.”

The newspaper added that Tehran is supplying weapons to the Houthis and rearming Hezbollah and other groups operating in Syria in preparation for potential attacks against Israel.

Amid these developments, the Saudi deputy foreign minister for political and economic affairs arrived in Iran, followed shortly afterward by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan.

The timing of the Saudi–Iranian meeting is significant, coming weeks after talks between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. President Donald Trump. 

At the time, reports suggested that Riyadh was acting as a mediator between Tehran and Washington, although Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson denied the claims.

According to observers, the Saudi delegation may have carried a response to Tehran regarding the possibility of restarting negotiations between the United States and Iran, which could also open the door to addressing other regional issues, including Lebanon.

The Turkish–Iranian meeting was equally important. Although the visit was formally part of preparations for an upcoming trip by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Tehran, it also provided an opportunity to discuss a wide range of bilateral matters and regional files, most notably Syria and Lebanon.

In the end, these intensified diplomatic movements highlight that the region is entering a sensitive phase, with attention focused on whether these meetings can defuse rising tensions that risk pushing the Middle East toward a new round of confrontation.