Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman met with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the extraordinary joint Arab-Islamic summit in Riyadh on Saturday.

During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations as well as developments in the region, especially the escalation in the besieged Gaza Strip. Speaking on the occasion, the Crown Prince underlined Saudi Arabia’s unequivocal rejection of this fierce war against the brotherly Palestinian people, and emphasized the urgent need to immediately halt military operations.

He highlighted the importance of establishing humanitarian corridors to alleviate the suffering of civilians and allowing international humanitarian organizations to fulfill their roles. The Crown Prince also underscored the necessity of calling for the release of hostages and detainees and protecting the lives of innocent people.

The meeting was attended by Saudi Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman, Minister of State, Member of the Cabinet, and National Security Adviser Dr. Musaed Al-Aiban, Minister of State and Cabinet Member for Shoura Council Affairs Dr. Essam bin Saad bin Saeed, and Secretary to the Crown Prince Dr. Bandar Al-Rasheed.

This was the first visit of President Raisi to Saudi Arabia after assuming office in August 2021. Diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran were reinstated in March 2023, leading to the exchange of diplomatic missions and the reopening of embassies in both capitals.