Saudi Crown Prince Urges Israel to Respect Iran’s Sovereignty Amid Warming Ties
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has urged Israel to respect Iran’s sovereignty and avoid attacks on Iranian territory, underscoring an increasingly cooperative relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Speaking at a summit of Arab and Muslim leaders, the Crown Prince called on the international community to press Israel “to respect the sovereignty of the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran and not to violate its lands.”
This appeal highlights a significant shift in Saudi-Iran relations, traditionally marked by regional rivalry, especially in conflicts like Syria and Yemen. Saudi Arabia, which had led a coalition against Iran-backed Houthi forces in Yemen, severed diplomatic ties with Iran in 2016 following attacks on Saudi missions in Iran. However, in March 2023, the two nations announced a China-brokered rapprochement deal, marking a pivotal diplomatic achievement for Crown Prince Mohammed, who has taken steps toward regional reconciliation.
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The renewed ties have facilitated diplomatic exchanges, including a recent phone conversation between Crown Prince Mohammed and Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian and a visit by Saudi military official Fayyad al-Ruwaili to Tehran. Despite some lingering challenges, high-level contact between Saudi Arabia and Iran aims to contain the escalating conflict in Gaza, which has also intensified cross-border clashes between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.
This evolving relationship contrasts with the diplomatic environment during Donald Trump’s previous administration, under which the Abraham Accords led to normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states. Trump, who is set to take office again next year, may encounter a more complex landscape in efforts to expand these accords amid shifting dynamics in the Middle East.
HA Hellyer, Middle East expert at the Royal United Services Institute, noted that this diplomatic realignment could pose challenges for Trump’s regional strategy. “Trump may want to expand the Abraham Accords when he takes office next year, but unless Israel changes tack drastically in the region, that’s going to be fraught with many more challenges than last time,” Hellyer remarked.
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