SAUDI Arabia wants enhanced maritime security in the Persian Gulf region as part of its rapprochement with long-time rival Iran, declared Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Reuters reports
SAUDI Arabia wants enhanced maritime security in the Persian Gulf region as part of its rapprochement with long-time rival Iran, declared Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Reuters reports. Tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz at the mouth of the Gulf - through which a fifth of the world's oil passes - has become the focus for a standoff between Iran and the United States, which has increased its military presence in the region in recent years.
Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in a China-brokered deal to end a diplomatic rift and reestablish relations following years of hostility that had threatened stability in the Middle East.
'I would like to refer to the importance of cooperation between the two countries on regional security, especially the security of maritime navigation and the importance of cooperation among all regional countries to ensure that it is free of weapons of mass destruction,' said Prince Faisal.
Speaking after talks with his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian in Tehran, Prince Faisal also said the Saudi king and crown prince are looking forward to Iranian president Ebrahim Raisi 'accepting the invitation to visit the kingdom soon, God willing.'
The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran in retaliation for Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.
Saudi Arabia's rapprochement with Iran has left Israel largely alone as it has sought to isolate Iran diplomatically. The United Arab Emirates, which was the first Gulf Arab country to sign a normalisation agreement with Israel in 2020, resumed formal relations with Iran last year. Bahrain and Morocco later joined the UAE in establishing ties with Israel.
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