The meetings in Tehran coincide with continued Israeli escalation in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria
News Desk - The Cradle
Turkiye’s Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan arrived in the capital on Sunday, holding talks and a joint press conference with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi.
Araghchi described Tehran and Ankara as “two brotherly nations bound by deep historical, religious, and cultural ties.”
“The shared borders of the two countries have for centuries symbolized peace and friendship. The current year has been designated as the Iran–Turkey Cultural Year, during which several joint cultural programs have already been held,” Araghchi added, according to West Asia News Agency (WANA).
He also said that the two discussed expanding cooperation in energy, trade, and infrastructure.
“Extensive discussions were held regarding developments in Palestine,” Araghchi said, calling for “coordinated efforts to stop the ongoing killing of civilians in Gaza.” He warned that the “Israeli regime is pursuing wider destabilization plans across the region, particularly in Syria and Lebanon,” adding that “regional countries bear responsibility for blocking continued aggression and expansionism.”
Earlier on Sunday, Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister for Political Affairs Saud al-Sati arrived in Tehran and was welcomed by Araghchi.
His trip "aims to continue bilateral discussions and exchange views on regional developments, including the situation in occupied Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria," the Iranian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia and Iran signed a historic, Chinese-brokered peace agreement in 2023 after years of tensions and a severed relationship. While ties between the two countries have improved dramatically over the last two years, Riyadh and Tehran remain at odds over key regional issues.
Iran has rejected Washington’s UNSC resolution for Gaza, which Saudi Arabia has signed off on along with Turkiye and several other regional states. Israel continues to violate the truce reached last month and has killed hundreds of Palestinians since then.
The kingdom also backs US pressure pushing for the disarmament of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Tehran has vowed that it will continue supporting Hezbollah and says its weapons are necessary for the defense of Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israel continues to violate the Lebanon ceasefire and is threatening a new war unless Hezbollah surrenders its arms immediately.
Israel has also significantly expanded its occupation in south Syria, established after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s government last year. Local residents recently ambushed Israeli troops in the Damascus countryside, prompting deadly strikes on the area that killed at least 13 Syrians, among them children.
Tel Aviv is reportedly considering escalating attacks in Syria, using the incident as a pretext for military action.
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