Inayati pointed to the development of bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia since 2023, with the return of ambassadors and the start of intensive consultations on the Palestinian issue, especially after the events of October 7, 2023. The Iranian diplomat explained that “Tehran and Riyadh have made progress in security and defense areas, including the visit of Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to Iran and his meeting with the Iranian leadership,” according to Iranian news agency “IRNA.” Inayati also mentioned cooperation in economic and cultural fields with the Kingdom, highlighting Saudi support for the Iranian nuclear file and its pursuit of regional stability. He also praised Saudi Arabia’s stance, which condemned Israeli attacks on Iran, affirming that “this bilateral cooperation forms a deterrent to Zionist influence in the region.” Inayati said, “During the Israeli and American aggression against Iran, Saudi Arabia took a firm stance of condemnation and issued strongly worded statements,” emphasizing that “cooperation between Tehran and Riyadh can limit Zionist influence and pave the way for regional cooperation, development, and sustainable security.” In March 2023, they announced their agreement to resume diplomatic relations after years of estrangement. The agreement between the two states was reached with China’s mediation, which played an important role in its completion and was one of the signatories of the joint statement of the two states.
