Iran and Saudi Arabia, two major regional powers in the Middle East, are reportedly preparing to hold joint military exercises in the Red Sea.
The Al-Diriyah corvette of the Royal Saudi Naval Forces © EDR
Iran and Saudi Arabia, two major regional powers in the Middle East, are reportedly preparing to hold joint military exercises in the Red Sea.
This development, which has been reported by an Iranian news agency but not yet confirmed by Riyadh, could mark a historic first for the two nations, which have long been rivals in the region.
This potential collaboration comes just over a year after Iran and Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic ties in March 2023 following a seven-year rupture.
The rapprochement, which was brokered by China, marked a significant diplomatic breakthrough, as the two nations had previously supported opposing sides in various regional conflicts. For example, Saudi Arabia has backed Yemen’s pro-government forces, while Iran has provided support to the Houthi rebels.
The announcement of the joint exercises comes against a backdrop of increased tension in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The Houthis, a Yemeni rebel group allied with Iran, have claimed responsibility for several recent attacks in the region, targeting ships they believe to be linked to Israel.
Iran is weighing the terms for resuming talks with the United States soon, a foreign ministry official said on Monday, after both sides signalled readiness to revive diplomacy over a long-running nuclear dispute and dispel fears of a new regional war.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said that if the U.S. attacked Iran it would become a regional conflict, state media reported on Sunday, amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran.
For years, the Iran debate has been trapped in a lazy binary: deal or war, diplomacy or regime change, restraint or strike.
To make this website run properly and to improve your experience, we use cookies. For more detailed information, please check our Cookie Policy.
Necessary cookies enable core functionality. The website cannot function properly without these cookies, and can only be disabled by changing your browser preferences.