Iran’s security chief meets MbS in Riyadh

The meeting took place at Al-Yamamah Palace in Riyadh on Tuesday. It marks a new phase in the Tehran–Riyadh diplomatic engagement.

Larijani traveled to Saudi Arabia at the invitation of the kingdom’s defense minister, leading a delegation that included Deputy Secretary for International Affairs Ali Bagheri Kani and Persian Gulf Affairs Advisor Mohammad Ali Bek.

The visit follows a series of high-level exchanges between the two countries, including the Saudi defense minister’s trip to Tehran earlier this year.

The meeting comes just one day after President Masoud Pezeshkian met with bin Salman on the sidelines of the emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, where both sides expressed satisfaction with the growing momentum in bilateral ties in the wake of the China-brokered detente in 2023.

Larijani’s visit to Riyadh is his third regional trip since assuming office on August 5, following earlier stops in Iraq and Lebanon.

Iranian officials say the renewed diplomatic outreach reflects efforts to stabilize regional dynamics and expand cooperation with neighboring states.