Saudi Arabia's powerful crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, emphasized the relationship in his opening remarks at the summit, stating, "We call on the international community to compel Israel to respect Iran's sovereignty and not to attack its territory." This reflects a significant diplomatic shift as the kingdom seeks to balance regional tensions while navigating its relationship with Iran.
The meeting highlighted a thaw in relations as evidenced by the recent diplomatic exchanges, including the foreign ministers of the Persian Gulf states meeting for the first time with their Iranian counterpart. This marks a potential shift in the longstanding animosity between these nations.
While Hamas and Hezbollah have been weakened, Iran continues to support groups like the Houthis in Yemen, which have been involved in attacking Saudi Arabia. This ongoing support remains a critical concern for the kingdom in its regional strategy against Iran.
Saudi Arabia and Iran's long battle for regional dominance, rooted in differing branches of Islam, remains complex. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman noted that "the issue that we've had...was Iran's regional behavior, which from our perspective has not contributed to stability."
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