Latest news with #KhalidbinSalmanAlSaud
Gulf Insider
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Gulf Insider
Saudi Defense Chief Visits Iran In Unprecedented Trip As Israel Talks War
Below is yet another reason why a joint US-Israeli strike on Iranian nuclear facilities would serve to divide the region, sparking broader destabilization and likely putting American troops stationed in the Middle East in harm's way… Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman Al Saud arrives in Tehran on an official visit, where he is formally received by Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces — Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) April 17, 2025 In a huge and rare development after being archrivals for many years and decades, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud arrived in Tehran on Thursday, where he was greeted by Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces. The two top officials are holding a number of meetings to discuss bilateral relations and issues of common interest,' state-run Saudi Press Agency said. A senior Saudi royal last visited Iran all the way back in 1997 – when King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz made the trip amid hopes for a breakthrough with 'reformist' Iranian leaders at the time. The Abraham Accords, involving Gulf countries normalizing with Israel, have been on hold since the Gaza war began, and Riyadh and Tehran have over the last couple years been making strides for peace and full normalization with each other. This doesn't bode well for US or Israeli interests, also given the Saudis have of late declared that no country case use their airspace for attacks on Iran. CNN points out the following irony amid the thaw: Bagheri is also a military officer in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Crops (IRGC), which is designated as a terrorist organization by Saudi Arabia. Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia. They then spent years fighting a proxy war that has embroiled a number of neighboring countries, especially Yemen. China has been the big power which has mediated the Iran-Saudi rapprochement, at a moment the US is widely viewed as in retreat in the region. Last October, Iran and Saudi Arabia took their improving ties a huge step further by conducting an unprecedented joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman. The two countries' populations have also been religious rivals for centuries. Tehran has always been the heart of the Shia world, while the Saudi kingdom leads Sunni Muslims. Sunnis tend to consider Shia to be heretics, and historic, fierce battles have been fought over interpretations of the Quran. More recently, they waged proxy war for Syria, and before that Iraq. More footage: Historic scenes in Tehran 🇮🇷🇸🇦It was not so long ago that the current Saudi defence minister Khalid Bin Salman was sitting at the Oval Office with Pres. Trump during his first term,Discussing ways to suffocate the Iranian regime,But now he is in Iran! — Amirdaryoush Youhaei (@amirdaryoush) April 17, 2025
Egypt Independent
17-04-2025
- Business
- Egypt Independent
Saudi defense minister visits Iran in highest-level trip in decades as nuclear talks proceed
CNN — Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud arrived in Tehran on Thursday, in a rare visit by a senior Saudi royal to the Islamic Republic. Prince Khalid will meet with Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Iranian news outlet ISNA reported, adding that 'developing defense relations and regional cooperation to strengthen peace and stability in the region, as well as combating terrorism, are among the topics of discussion between the two senior defense officials.' It has been decades since a senior Saudi royal last visited Iran: King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz did so in 1997, when reformist President Mohammad Khatami was in office. Prince Khalid is the son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The Saudi-Iranian meeting comes as Tehran engages in talks with the United States to reach a new nuclear agreement, amid threats by the US and Israel to strike Iran's nuclear facilities if negotiations fail. Iran has warned that any attack on its territory could ignite a broader regional war. The US maintains a military presence in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states neighboring Iran. The two officials 'will hold a number of meetings to discuss bilateral relations and issues of common interest,' state-run Saudi Press Agency said. Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia. They then spent years fighting a proxy war that has embroiled a number of neighboring countries, especially Yemen. In Yemen, the two countries had supported opposite sides of a civil war, which led to Iran-backed Houthi rebels firing missiles at both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, targeting oil infrastructure that is vital to their economies. Ties began to thaw two years ago, and both states eventually signed a landmark normalization deal brokered by China. Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf Arab states, have been wary of getting embroiled in Iran's conflict with Israel and the United States. Last year, after Iran exchanged strikes with Israel, Gulf Arab states expressed concern to the US about a potential attack by Israel on Iranian oil facilities, which could create economic and environmental impacts for the entire region. Iran publicly warned that any parties seen as aiding Israel would be treated as aggressors. Sources familiar with matter told CNN at the time that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar had told both the US and Iran that they would not allow Israel to use their airspace to strike Iran. In October, Saudi Arabia and Iran conducted their first ever joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iranian media, and in November, the chief of staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, visited Tehran to meet with his Iranian counterpart, state media reported.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Saudi defense minister visits Iran in highest-level trip in decades as nuclear talks proceed
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud arrived in Tehran on Thursday, in a rare visit by a senior Saudi royal to the Islamic Republic. Prince Khalid will meet with Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Iranian news outlet ISNA reported, adding that 'developing defense relations and regional cooperation to strengthen peace and stability in the region, as well as combating terrorism, are among the topics of discussion between the two senior defense officials.' It has been decades since a senior Saudi royal last visited Iran: King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz did so in 1997, when reformist President Mohammad Khatami was in office. Prince Khalid is the son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The Saudi-Iranian meeting comes as Tehran engages in talks with the United States to reach a new nuclear agreement, amid threats by the US and Israel to strike Iran's nuclear facilities if negotiations fail. Iran has warned that any attack on its territory could ignite a broader regional war. The US maintains a military presence in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states neighboring Iran. The two officials 'will hold a number of meetings to discuss bilateral relations and issues of common interest,' state-run Saudi Press Agency said. Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia. They then spent years fighting a proxy war that has embroiled a number of neighboring countries, especially Yemen. In Yemen, the two countries had supported opposite sides of a civil war, which led to Iran-backed Houthi rebels firing missiles at both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, targeting oil infrastructure that is vital to their economies. Ties began to thaw two years ago, and both states eventually signed a landmark normalization deal brokered by China. Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf Arab states, have been wary of getting embroiled in Iran's conflict with Israel and the United States. Last year, after Iran exchanged strikes with Israel, Gulf Arab states expressed concern to the US about a potential attack by Israel on Iranian oil facilities, which could create economic and environmental impacts for the entire region. Iran publicly warned that any parties seen as aiding Israel would be treated as aggressors. Sources familiar with matter told CNN at the time that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar had told both the US and Iran that they would not allow Israel to use their airspace to strike Iran. In October, Saudi Arabia and Iran conducted their first ever joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iranian media, and in November, the chief of staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, visited Tehran to meet with his Iranian counterpart, state media reported. CNN's Alireza Hajihosseini and Matog Saleh contributed reporting.
CNN
17-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Saudi defense minister visits Iran in highest-level trip in decades as nuclear talks proceed
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud arrived in Tehran on Thursday, in a rare visit by a senior Saudi royal to the Islamic Republic. Prince Khalid will meet with Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Iranian news outlet ISNA reported, adding that 'developing defense relations and regional cooperation to strengthen peace and stability in the region, as well as combating terrorism, are among the topics of discussion between the two senior defense officials.' It has been decades since a senior Saudi royal last visited Iran: King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz did so in 1997, when reformist President Mohammad Khatami was in office. Prince Khalid is the son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The Saudi-Iranian meeting comes as Tehran engages in talks with the United States to reach a new nuclear agreement, amid threats by the US and Israel to strike Iran's nuclear facilities if negotiations fail. Iran has warned that any attack on its territory could ignite a broader regional war. The US maintains a military presence in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states neighboring Iran. The two officials 'will hold a number of meetings to discuss bilateral relations and issues of common interest,' state-run Saudi Press Agency said. Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia. They then spent years fighting a proxy war that has embroiled a number of neighboring countries, especially Yemen. In Yemen, the two countries had supported opposite sides of a civil war, which led to Iran-backed Houthi rebels firing missiles at both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, targeting oil infrastructure that is vital to their economies. Ties began to thaw two years ago, and both states eventually signed a landmark normalization deal brokered by China. Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf Arab states, have been wary of getting embroiled in Iran's conflict with Israel and the United States. Last year, after Iran exchanged strikes with Israel, Gulf Arab states expressed concern to the US about a potential attack by Israel on Iranian oil facilities, which could create economic and environmental impacts for the entire region. Iran publicly warned that any parties seen as aiding Israel would be treated as aggressors. Sources familiar with matter told CNN at the time that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar had told both the US and Iran that they would not allow Israel to use their airspace to strike Iran. In October, Saudi Arabia and Iran conducted their first ever joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iranian media, and in November, the chief of staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, visited Tehran to meet with his Iranian counterpart, state media reported. CNN's Alireza Hajihosseini and Matog Saleh contributed reporting.
CNN
17-04-2025
- Business
- CNN
Saudi defense minister visits Iran in highest-level trip in decades as nuclear talks proceed
Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman Al Saud arrived in Tehran on Thursday, in a rare visit by a senior Saudi royal to the Islamic Republic. Prince Khalid will meet with Major General Mohammad Bagheri, chief of staff of Iran's Armed Forces, Iranian news outlet ISNA reported, adding that 'developing defense relations and regional cooperation to strengthen peace and stability in the region, as well as combating terrorism, are among the topics of discussion between the two senior defense officials.' It has been decades since a senior Saudi royal last visited Iran: King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz did so in 1997, when reformist President Mohammad Khatami was in office. Prince Khalid is the son of Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz. The Saudi-Iranian meeting comes as Tehran engages in talks with the United States to reach a new nuclear agreement, amid threats by the US and Israel to strike Iran's nuclear facilities if negotiations fail. Iran has warned that any attack on its territory could ignite a broader regional war. The US maintains a military presence in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf Arab states neighboring Iran. The two officials 'will hold a number of meetings to discuss bilateral relations and issues of common interest,' state-run Saudi Press Agency said. Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters stormed the Saudi embassy in the Iranian capital following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia. They then spent years fighting a proxy war that has embroiled a number of neighboring countries, especially Yemen. In Yemen, the two countries had supported opposite sides of a civil war, which led to Iran-backed Houthi rebels firing missiles at both Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, targeting oil infrastructure that is vital to their economies. Ties began to thaw two years ago, and both states eventually signed a landmark normalization deal brokered by China. Saudi Arabia, along with other Gulf Arab states, have been wary of getting embroiled in Iran's conflict with Israel and the United States. Last year, after Iran exchanged strikes with Israel, Gulf Arab states expressed concern to the US about a potential attack by Israel on Iranian oil facilities, which could create economic and environmental impacts for the entire region. Iran publicly warned that any parties seen as aiding Israel would be treated as aggressors. Sources familiar with matter told CNN at the time that Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar had told both the US and Iran that they would not allow Israel to use their airspace to strike Iran. In October, Saudi Arabia and Iran conducted their first ever joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman, according to Iranian media, and in November, the chief of staff of Saudi Arabia's armed forces, Fayyad al-Ruwaili, visited Tehran to meet with his Iranian counterpart, state media reported. CNN's Alireza Hajihosseini and Matog Saleh contributed reporting.
