In a historic development, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman had their first-ever phone conversation following the recent reestablishment of diplomatic relations between the two regional powers.
This significant 45-minute dialogue drew international attention, focusing primarily on the critical issue of Palestine. It marked the first telephone call between the leaders since a China-brokered deal led to the continuation of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh.
During this historic call, President Raisi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman discussed the pressing matter of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Iranian state media reported that both leaders emphasized the urgent need to end the ongoing war crimes against the Palestinian people.
According to Saudi state news agency, the Saudi crown prince affirmed that his country was making every possible effort to engage with international and regional parties to de-escalate the situation. He reiterated Saudi Arabia’s strong stance against any form of civilian targeting.
Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to renew their ties in March. This development ended seven years of hostilities that had threatened stability and security in the Gulf and fueled conflicts in the Middle East, from Yemen to Syria.
This groundbreaking conversation took place against the backdrop of a dire situation in the Palestinian territories, especially in the Gaza Strip. The death toll among Palestinians in Gaza reached a staggering 1,100 individuals, with an additional 5,339 reported as injured. These devastating numbers underscore the human toll of relentless Israeli airstrikes over the past five days.
Regarding this phone call, a senior U.S. State Department official noted that the United States, which supports Israel in its conflict with Hamas, was in constant contact with Saudi leaders. The official added that the U.S. was urging its partners with connections to Hamas, Hezbollah in Lebanon, or Iran to work on persuading Hamas to cease its attacks, release hostages, prevent Hezbollah’s involvement, and keep Iran from becoming further involved in the situation.
