Iran's Foreign Minister meets Saudi crown prince to strengthen regional ties - analysis

As Iran’s diplomatic offensive in the region continues to bear fruit, the new Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh on Wednesday. Then he flew to Doha and met with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha.

This is important, and it is part of a broader effort by Iran to ingratiate itself in the Gulf. Iran and Qatar are already close partners. Recent statements from Qatar, reported by Israel’s Ynet, indicate that Doha opposes a US plan to weaken Hezbollah’s role in Lebanon. Iran likely wants Doha to help it in the region in areas where Doha has influence so that Tehran and Doha can run a multi-front play in various places.

Iran is generally more well connected with Shi’ite groups, such as Hezbollah or Amal in Lebanon, while Doha has more influence with Muslim Brotherhood-linked groups, which are Sunni. This is not a simple Sunni-Shia issue, but both countries have areas where they are more influential.

In the Gulf, Iran is seeking reconciliation. This is part of a multi-track initiative that also involves Doha. Qatar and Saudi Arabia broke relations in 2017. The UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt all broke ties with Doha at the time. Qatar, at the time, was backing the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt and the other Gulf states felt Doha was interfering in their affairs. Years later, the countries reconciled. In 2022, Iraq helped push for Saudi-Iran reconciliation and soon China also helped mend ties. This put China, Iran, Qatar, and potentially the other Gulf states in the same room.

Regional cooperation amid escalating tensions with Israel

At the same time, Israel had signed the Abraham Accords with the UAE and Bahrain and was hoping for Saudi normalization as well. Iran’s goal has been to sabotage that possibility. Therefore, Iran’s role in ingratiating itself with Saudi Arabia and other countries, such as Egypt, should be seen as part of its overall plan to isolate the Jewish state.

Araghchi’s trip to Saudi Arabia is symbolically significant. The sight of the Iranian sitting next to Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince sends a message to the region. The foreign minister met with the high-level Saudi delegation in Riyadh for hours, Iranian media said. 

“They expressed their shared satisfaction over the continuing positive trend in bilateral relations and underlined the need for further promotion of bilateral cooperation. The situation in the region was discussed, and the vitality of regional and international cooperation for stopping genocide and war in Gaza and Lebanon was stressed,” Iran’s foreign ministry said.

Araghchi also held “constructive” talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. “Their talks also focused on the ongoing developments in the region, especially in Gaza and Lebanon, where intense Israeli attacks continue,” Iran’s IRNA said. Iranian media reported that Iran is apprehensive about a retaliatory Israeli strike, following its ballistic missile attack on Israel on October 1. Iran wants the Gulf states not to open their airspace for such an attack.

Araghchi has been on a region tour that also included Lebanon and Syria over the last week. This is part of Iran’s way of showing its influence in the region. The Iranian diplomat also warned Israel not to test Iran, one of many warnings Iran has made to Israel about not carrying out retaliation for the ballistic missile attack.