The US Department of State announced on Thursday that US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, had a telephonic conversation with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, discussing a range of bilateral and regional issues.
The US Department emphasized that both Blinken and Prince Faisal stressed the need to continue efforts to end the conflict in Sudan. The Department added that Blinken appreciated Saudi Arabia’s role in gathering representatives from over 40 countries in Jeddah for discussions on Ukraine. The talks, which were attended by nations including the US, China, Germany, and India, but with Russia notably absent, aimed at resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis.
Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian President’s office who led his country’s delegation in the Jeddah meetings this August, stated that productive consultations were held on foundational principles upon which a fair and lasting peace should be built, allowing representatives from each nation to express their views and positions.
The US Department’s statement added that the spokesperson, Matthew Miller, mentioned both sides’ commitment to redouble efforts to secure lasting peace in Yemen through a Yemeni-led peace process under the auspices of the United Nations.
On Thursday, the Saudi Foreign Minister welcomed his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, in Riyadh, emphasizing that resuming diplomatic ties with Iran is a pivotal point for regional security. He expressed his country’s aspirations to enhance bilateral relations with Tehran. During a press conference at the Saudi Foreign Ministry’s headquarters, he stated, “There is a genuine and serious desire to boost mutual trust between the two sides.” He added, “We aim to activate relations with Tehran based on mutual respect.”
Prince Faisal bin Farhan confirmed on Thursday that the Saudi embassy in Tehran resumed its operations, considering this another step in developing relations between the two countries. He stated this move reflects a “genuine and serious desire of both parties to implement an agreement beneficial to both countries and their peoples.”
Abdollahian’s visit comes nearly two months after Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s official visit to Iran, the first by a Saudi foreign minister to Tehran in 17 years. The discussions revolved around security, economy, tourism, and transport. In another precedent last March, military officials from both countries met in Moscow on the sidelines of a security conference, as reported by one of Iran’s official media outlets on Wednesday.
