Saudi Defense Minister meets Khamenei in Tehran
ALBAWABA-In a rare high-level visit, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman, met with Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, delivering a message from King Salman bin Abdulaziz focused on bilateral relations and the ongoing U.S.-Iran nuclear negotiations in Oman. Also Read Iran close to acquiring nuclear weapons: IAEA Chief
During the meeting, Khamenei emphasized the mutual benefits of expanding relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
"Our relationship can be complementary, and cooperation among regional brothers is far better than reliance on outsiders," he stated.
Khamenei also acknowledged that some actors are hostile to improved Saudi-Iran ties, but expressed Iran's readiness to overcome these challenges.
Khalid bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's Defense Minister, delivered a message from the King of Saudi Arabia to Imam Khamenei on Thursday, April 17, 2025. — Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) April 17, 2025
Prince Khalid also held talks with Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran's Armed Forces. According to Iranian state media, discussions focused on developing defense cooperation, enhancing regional peace and stability, and joint efforts to combat terrorism.
بتوجيه من القيادة -أيدها الله- وصل صاحب السمو الملكي الأمير خالد بن سلمان بن عبدالعزيز وزير الدفاع، والوفد المرافق له، اليوم، إلى العاصمة الإيرانية طهران في زيارةٍ رسمية.
وسيعقد سموه خلال الزيارة عددًا من اللقاءات لبحث العلاقات الثنائية بين البلدين، ومناقشة القضايا والموضوعات ذات… pic.twitter.com/yiiNUUqU3D — وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) April 17, 2025
This visit marks the most senior-level Saudi visit to Iran in over two decades, the last being King Abdullah's trip in 1997 during the presidency of reformist Mohammad Khatami. Also Read U.S. and KSA near landmark nuclear deal ahead of Trump's visit
The Saudi-Iranian meeting comes as Iran continues indirect negotiations with the United States over a possible new nuclear deal.
Washington and Tel Aviv have warned of potential military action should talks collapse, while Iran has cautioned that any strike on its territory could trigger a wider regional conflict.
As the U.S. maintains a military footprint in Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, this renewed Saudi-Iranian dialogue signals a significant shift in regional diplomacy amid fragile nuclear talks and persistent security threats.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ammon
2 hours ago
- Ammon
Trump denies reports US is weighing up to $30 bln civilian nuclear deal for Iran
Ammon News - U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed media reports that said his administration had discussed possibly helping Iran access as much as $30 billion to build a civilian-energy-producing nuclear program. CNN reported on Thursday and NBC News reported on Friday that the Trump administration in recent days had explored possible economic incentives for Iran in return for its government halting uranium enrichment. The reports cited sources. CNN cited officials as saying that several proposals were floated and were preliminary. "Who in the Fake News Media is the SleazeBag saying that 'President Trump wants to give Iran $30 Billion to build non-military Nuclear facilities.' Never heard of this ridiculous idea," Trump wrote on Truth Social late on Friday, calling the reports a "HOAX." Since April, Iran and the U.S. have held indirect talks aimed at finding a new diplomatic solution regarding Iran's nuclear program. Tehran says its program is peaceful and Washington says it wants to ensure Iran cannot build a nuclear weapon. Trump, earlier this week, announced a ceasefire between U.S. ally Israel and its regional rival Iran to halt a war that began on June 13 when Israel attacked Iran. The Israel-Iran conflict had raised alarms in a region already on edge since the start of Israel's war in Gaza in October 2023.
Roya News
4 hours ago
- Roya News
Iran to hold mass funeral on Saturday for 60 top brass killed in 'Israeli' strikes
Iran is set to hold a state funeral Saturday in Tehran for approximately 60 individuals, including high-ranking military officials and nuclear scientists, killed during its 12-day war with 'Israel', a conflict that also drew direct US military involvement. The funeral, expected to begin at 7:30 AM (GMT+3) in Enghelab Square and continue with a procession to Azadi Square, will honor military leaders, nuclear experts, and civilians killed in 'Israeli' airstrikes, according to Iranian officials. The country's health ministry reported at least 627 civilian deaths from 'Israeli' attacks. Among those to be buried are Major General Mohammad Bagheri, deputy commander of Iran's armed forces, his wife and journalist daughter, as well as prominent nuclear physicist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and his spouse. 'This will be a historic day for Islamic Iran and the revolution,' said Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran's Islamic Development Coordination Council. Iran and 'Israel' both declared victory following the June 13–25 conflict, which ended in a ceasefire. The US had joined the fray by striking three Iranian nuclear facilities in coordination with 'Israel', prompting fierce rhetoric from all sides. Despite the attacks, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei downplayed the damage, asserting the US strikes had achieved 'nothing significant.' However, tensions reignited Friday when Trump posted a barrage of posts on his Truth Social platform, accusing Iran of falsely claiming victory. He also revealed that during the war, he knew 'EXACTLY where [Khamenei] was sheltered' and claimed to have prevented a US-'Israeli' assassination attempt. 'I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH,' Trump wrote, adding that he had been considering lifting sanctions on Iran, but halted those efforts after what he called Tehran's 'anger, hatred, and disgust.' Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Trump's comments as deeply disrespectful. 'If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader,' he wrote on social platform X. He also hailed Iran's resistance, stating, 'The Great and Powerful Iranian People… do not take kindly to Threats and Insults.' The conflict saw significant losses on both sides. 'Israel' reported 28 deaths from Iranian missile and drone strikes, while Iran's government plans to bury at least 60 people on Saturday, including four children and over 30 senior military officers, such as Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami, killed on the war's opening day. The war erupted amid stalled diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump unilaterally exited in 2018. That agreement, brokered under President Barack Obama, had aimed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons while permitting civilian nuclear activity. Since the US withdrawal, Tehran has accelerated its enrichment and research efforts. Trump had hinted that new negotiations with Iran could begin next week. However, Khamenei dismissed the prospect of renewed talks, insisting Iran would not yield to US coercion. 'The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways,' Khamenei said Thursday, rejecting claims that the war had set back Iran's nuclear program by decades. Meanwhile, 'Israel's' foreign minister Gideon Saar maintained that 'Israeli' action was necessary to preempt an existential threat. 'Israel acted at the last possible moment… the international community now has an obligation to prevent, through any effective means, the world's most extreme regime from obtaining the most dangerous weapon,' Saar said.
Roya News
4 hours ago
- Roya News
Iran army reveals death toll from war with 'Israel'
The Iranian military announced Friday that 56 of its personnel were killed during war with 'Israel', according to Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency. Iran's state broadcaster reported that Saturday would be observed as a national day of mourning for the victims. Heavy Iranian losses An 'Israeli' military official told Reuters that more than 30 senior Iranian security officials and 11 nuclear scientists were killed during the hostilities. Other sources said more than 20 high-ranking military officers were killed in targeted airstrikes, some inside their own homes. The 'Israeli' official said the initial June 13 strike significantly weakened Iran's air defense systems and crippled Tehran's ability to respond in the early hours of the conflict, giving 'Israel' swift superiority. Nuclear program crippled The official added that 'Israeli' air forces carried out more than 900 strikes on Iranian targets over 12 days, causing extensive damage to missile production infrastructure. He also claimed Iran's nuclear program had suffered a 'major blow,' with its ability to enrich uranium to weapons-grade levels (90%) neutralized and its capacity to build a nuclear weapon core significantly delayed.
