Yesterday, the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman called on Israel to “refrain from attacking Iranian territory.”
Bin Salman, the de facto leader of the country, stated at yesterday‘s summit of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Riyadh that Iran is a “sister country.” This is a sign of warming relations between these two Middle Eastern powers, which have long supported opposing sides in the region, particularly in Syria and Yemen.
Israel is currently engaged in conflict with Palestinian Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both movements allied with Iran and major foes of Israel.
In October, Israel bombed military installations in Iran in retaliation for a rocket attack by Iran on Israel on October 1st. Tehran stated that its attacks were in response to the assassinations of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders, actions attributed to Israel.
Israel has warned Iran against any new attacks, while Tehran has promised a strong response.
Iran and Saudi Arabia, based on an agreement brokered by China in March 2023, re-established diplomatic relations after a seven-year hiatus.
In October, Saudi Arabia announced that it had conducted joint military exercises with Iran’s naval forces and other nations on the shores of the Gulf of Oman.
