Iran Prez, Saudi Crown Prince hold 1st call since ties mended, discuss war

In a significant diplomatic development, Iran President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) held a telephone conversation and discussed the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.

This conversation marked their first interaction since the restoration of diplomatic ties between Tehran and Riyadh, Al Jazeera reported.

The leaders engaged in the discussion on Wednesday, emphasising "the need to end war crimes against Palestine," Iranian presidential political affairs aide, Mohammad Jamshidi posted on X.

"Islamic unity was stressed and both believed the regime's crimes and the US green light will cause destructive insecurity for the regime and backers," Jamshidi said.

Both leaders highlighted the importance of Islamic unity and expressed concerns over the actions of the Israeli regime and the perceived support from the United States, which they believe could lead to destructive insecurity in the region.

Crown Prince MBS stressed the "necessity of adhering to the principles of international humanitarian law and expressed deep concern for the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, along with its impact on civilians," Al Jazeera reported citing Saudi state news agency SPA.

He also mentioned that Saudi Arabia was actively making maximum efforts to engage with international and regional parties to halt the ongoing escalation of the conflict.

The ongoing violence has resulted in significant casualties, with more than 1,200 Palestinians in Gaza and 1,300 people in Israel reported killed, according to Palestinian and Israeli officials.

Notably, Saudi Arabia and Iran recently resumed diplomatic relations in March, under a China-brokered deal. This reconciliation marked the end of a seven-year period of hostility between the two nations. Riyadh severed ties with Tehran in 2016, following the invasion of Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran by protesters, triggered by Saudi Arabia's execution of a prominent Shia scholar.

The conversation between the leaders of Iran and Saudi Arabia underscores the potential for a renewed diplomatic approach to addressing the Israel-Hamas war, reflecting the changing dynamics in the region following their diplomatic rapprochement, Al Jazeera reported.