Senior Saudi military officer visits Iran, discusses defence cooperation
Tehran: General Chief of Staff Fayyad al-Ruwaili of the Saudi armed forces held talks with his Iranian counterpart in Tehran, marking a significant step in defence ties between the two regional powers following their diplomatic rapprochement last year.
Al-Ruwaili met with Mohammad Baqeri, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, to explore ways to strengthen military cooperation, Xinhua news agecy reported quoting Iran’s Fars news agency.
During the meeting, Baqeri extended an invitation for Saudi naval forces to participate in an Iranian maritime exercise planned for next year, either as an active participant or observer.
“The exchange of such visits between our armed forces carries special importance for the region and Muslim world in the current circumstances,” Baqeri was quoted as saying by Fars.
Al-Ruwaili, who arrived in Tehran on Sunday leading a high-level military delegation, agreed to enhance bilateral military cooperation across various domains. Both officials emphasised their countries’ influential role in fostering regional unity among Muslim states.
The Palestine issue was also discussed during the talks, according to Fars.
This high-level military engagement follows the Beijing-sponsored restoration of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran in April 2023, ending a seven-year freeze. Riyadh had severed ties with Tehran in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following the kingdom’s execution of a Shiite cleric.