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The New York Times: Iran and Saudi Arabia, historically regional rivals, have called for a cease-fire in Gaza amidst Israel’s bombardment following Hamas’s attacks on Oct. 7. This unexpected unity was shown at a summit in Riyadh, where leaders of both nations met to discuss the crisis. Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who have recently restored diplomatic ties, stressed the need for an immediate cease-fire and humanitarian aid for Gaza. The Israeli offensive, which began after Hamas’s attacks in southern Israel, has led to substantial casualties and raised international concern.
The two countries, backing opposing sides in regional conflicts, showed a significant diplomatic shift brokered by China earlier this year. The Israeli actions in Gaza have seemingly accelerated the warming of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The Saudi crown prince highlighted the international community’s failure to address Israeli violations, and regional leaders at the summit called for an arms embargo against Israel and a resolution of the Palestinian issue through a two-state solution.
The summit ended with a private bilateral meeting between Raisi and Prince Mohammed, marking a remarkable shift from previous aggressive stances towards each other. The summit also saw the participation of other regional leaders, including Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad, indicating a move towards regional unity. Discussions also included normalizing relations between Iran and Egypt, further underscoring the changing diplomatic landscape in the Middle East.
The entire article can be read at the link https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/11/world/middleeast/iran-saudi-arabia-gaza-cease-fire.html
