Saudi Arabia and Iran are working to patch things up, spurred by a China-backed agreement that has been in place for several years.
They were rivals from 2012 to 2022, but times have changed. Riyadh understood that its confrontation with Iran had diminishing returns.
Saudi Arabia was dragged into a conflict in Yemen in 2015 when the Iranian-backed Houthis tried to storm Aden. It then suffered years of drone and ballistic-missile attacks from the Houthis.
China stepped in to help broker a deal. Iraq also helped. The goal was to reduce tensions in the region.
Saudi Arabia had felt abandoned by the US-brokered Iran nuclear deal in 2015. Once the first Trump administration came into town, however, Riyadh felt empowered.
When the Biden administration arrived, things changed again. Saudi Arabia felt it should hedge its bets and was willing to be more amicable toward Tehran.
“Saudi Arabia, Iran affirm commitment to implementing Beijing Agreement,” Saudi Arabia-based newspaper Arab News reported Tuesday.
“Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khureiji on Tuesday attended the third meeting of the Joint Tripartite Committee,” the report said.
'Strengthening good neighborly relations'
According to the official Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi and Iranian sides “affirmed their commitment to implementing the Beijing Agreement in its entirety, and their continued pursuit of strengthening good neighborly relations between their countries through adherence to the Charter of the United Nations, the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and international law.”
Riyadh and Tehran have welcomed the positive role of China in helping them develop a friendlier relationship.
“Meanwhile, China affirmed its readiness to continue supporting and encouraging the steps taken by the Kingdom and Iran toward developing their relations in various fields,” Arab News reported.
“The three countries welcomed the ongoing progress in Saudi-Iranian relations and the opportunities it provides at all levels, SPA added. The three countries also called for an immediate end to Israeli aggression in Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. They also condemned any acts of aggression against the territorial integrity of Iran.”
Meanwhile, in Iran, there was also chatter about improving ties.
“A former Iranian envoy says reducing regional conflicts of interest, particularly in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq, is essential for deepening ties between Tehran and Riyadh, as high-level Saudi-Iran talks signal renewed efforts to stabilize West Asia,” Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), Iran’s official news agency, reported this week.
Mohammad Shariati Dehaghan, a former Iranian representative to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, told IRNA on Friday that "the recent visit of Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Saud bin Mohammed Al-Sati to Iran has renewed discussions on the future of Tehran-Riyadh relations and their role in easing regional tensions.”
There is a difference between the Saudi official referenced in Arab News, Khureiji, and the official referenced by IRNA, Sati.
Sati “traveled to Tehran on November 30 for consultations with Iranian officials,” IRNA reported. “In a meeting with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, both sides reviewed bilateral relations, potential avenues for cooperation, and developments in key regional files, including Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. Al-Sati also held talks with Mohammad-Reza Raouf Sheibani, Iran’s special envoy for Syrian affairs.”
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said the visit “fits into a two-year process aimed at rebuilding communication channels and strengthening confidence between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” the report said. “He noted that the two countries remain determined to continue this path as part of broader efforts to support regional security.”
Dehaghan has stressed that “regional powers such as Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Qatar can play constructive roles in resolving the Syrian crisis,” IRNA reported. “He argued that recent developments involving the Israeli regime have pushed Syria to seek closer ties with regional states, and that Turkish and Saudi engagement in resolving Syria’s internal challenges would be highly desirable.”
He said Iran and Saudi Arabia could look at various issues, including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Pakistan, and also discuss the Palestinian issue, according to the report.
Dehaghan “emphasized that these conflicts of interest must be addressed one by one if political and economic relations are to advance,” IRNA reported. “He also pointed to Saudi Arabia’s potential to help manage tensions between Iran and the United States, arguing that if Tehran and Riyadh can reduce friction, Riyadh could become a significant channel for de-escalation.”