TEHRAN — Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defense Prince Khalid bin Salman met with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Thursday. During the meeting, Prince Khalid bin Salman delivered a letter from Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman to Khamenei. The Saudi minister conveyed the greetings of the King and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman to the Iranian leader, as well as their wishes for further progress and prosperity for the government and people of Iran. Khamenei conveyed his greetings and appreciation to King Salman and the Crown Prince. They reviewed bilateral relations between the two countries and discussed issues of common interest. During the meeting, Khamenei expressed support for closer ties between the two countries. "We believe that relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia will be beneficial for both countries, and the two countries can complement each other," Khamenei was quoted as saying by Iran's official IRNA news agency. "It is much better for brothers in the region to cooperate and help each other than to rely on others," the Iranian leader said. The meeting was attended by the Saudi Chief of the General Staff Gen. Fayyad Al-Ruwaili; Advisor at the Royal Court Khalid Hadrawi; and Director General of the Office of the Minister of Defense Hisham bin Abdulaziz bin Saif. On the Iranian side, the meeting was attended by the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri; Director of the Office of the Supreme Leader Mohammad Mohammadi Golpayegani, Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics Brig. Gen. Aziz Nasirzadeh, and a number of senior officials. During his trip, Prince Khalid also met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Akbar Ahmadian, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri. "Iran and Saudi Arabia can resolve many of the region's problems by relying on their joint capacities and without the need for foreign intervention," Pezeshkian said during his meeting with Prince Khalid bin Salman, according to IRNA. The meeting marked the first time Khamenei has received a Saudi official since 2006, when then-Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal visited Tehran. Prince Khalid's visit has historic significance, as it is the second visit by a Saudi defense minister to Iran since the Iran Revolution of 1979. The first visit was made by the late Prince Sultan to Tehran in May 1999. Earlier, upon his arrival in Tehran on Thursday, Prince Khalid bin Salman met with Maj. Gen. Bagheri, who said that relations with Saudi Arabia have witnessed growth and development since the signing of the Beijing Agreement. "Tehran and Riyadh can play an important role in ensuring regional security," he said while expressing his country's readiness to develop defense relations with Saudi Arabia. Bagheri stressed that Iran appreciates Saudi Arabia's positions on Gaza and Palestine. In March 2023, Saudi Arabia and Iran announced that they had reached an agreement, brokered by China, to reestablish diplomatic relations after seven years of no formal ties. The Kingdom had severed ties with Iran in 2016 following attacks by pro-regime protesters on its embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad. Prince Khalid bin Salman's visit comes less than two weeks after a phone call between Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, during which they discussed regional developments and reviewed a number of issues of mutual interest. The visit also included bilateral consultations during a phone call between the Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.on Monday, during which they reviewed regional developments and the efforts being made in this regard. Saudi defense minister's meeting with the Iranian leaders comes ahead of weekend talks between Iran and the United States over the Iranian nuclear program. Iran and the U.S. are set to hold a second round of talks in Rome this weekend. Saudi Arabia welcomed Iran's nuclear talks with the U.S., saying it supported efforts to resolve regional and international disputes, in a statement published by Saudi Press Agency on Saturday.
