In a significant telephone conversation on Friday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian and his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan engaged in comprehensive discussions covering various bilateral, regional, and international developments, with a particular focus on the Gaza Strip and the Rafah region.
Amirabdollahian highlighted the ongoing atrocities perpetrated by the Israeli regime against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the West Bank, along with the threats posed to the Rafah region, home to over 1,300,000 Palestinian refugees. He emphasized the urgency of addressing these threats and concerns, including the complex situation in northern Gaza.
Moreover, Amirabdollahian expressed Iran’s grave concerns regarding the role of the United States in facilitating these atrocities, alleging that the actions in Rafah are being carried out with the tacit approval of the White House. While Iran advocates for a political solution, Amirabdollahian cautioned about the inevitable negative repercussions of the Israeli regime’s actions on regional security and stability in the absence of immediate political resolution.
In light of the escalating crisis, Amirabdollahian proposed an emergency meeting of foreign ministers from the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to address the situation in Gaza, an initiative welcomed by bin Farhan. The two diplomats agreed to conduct further consultations with other foreign ministers on this matter.
On a separate note, Amirabdollahian inquired about the delay in resolving the issue of Iranian Umrah pilgrims’ flights, despite the expanding relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Foreign Minister assured that the technical problem at Saudi’s aviation organization would be promptly resolved, expressing hope for the resumption of Umrah pilgrimages.
Furthermore, both ministers emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation between Tehran and Riyadh across various economic and commercial sectors, particularly within the framework of international law and involving the private sectors of both countries.
