The devil is in the details: Saudi Arabia's cautious welcome of the Iran deal

Saudi Arabia on Monday welcomed the agreement between the United States and Iran to end military operations and begin detailed negotiations toward a permanent peace deal, while issuing a pointed reminder that the interests of regional states must not be overlooked.

"Saudi Arabia welcomes the agreement concluded between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran to end military operations and engage, within 60 days, in detailed negotiations to reach a permanent agreement," the Saudi foreign ministry said on X.

The kingdom, however, was careful to attach conditions to its endorsement, insisting that any lasting peace deal must "take into consideration the security interests of the states of the region while respecting the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries."

The carefully worded statement reflects Riyadh's deep ambivalence about an agreement that ends the immediate conflict but leaves unresolved the question of Iranian proxy influence across the region, from Hezbollah in Lebanon to the Houthis on Saudi Arabia's own doorstep.

For the Gulf states, the devil will be in the detail of those 60-day negotiations. A framework that ignores Iran's network of destabilising militias is not the durable peace they were promised.