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Search resuls for: "Hossein Amirabdollahian"


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Palestinian group Hamas' top leader, Ismail Haniyeh meets with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (not pictured), in Tehran, Iran June 21, 2023. Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsOct 14 (Reuters) - Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh met with Iran's foreign minister on Saturday in Qatar, where they discussed the Palestinian militant group's deadly attack in Israel "and agreed to continue cooperation" to achieve the group's goals, Hamas said in a statement. During their meeting in Qatar's capital Doha, Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian praised the rampage as a "historic victory" that had dealt a setback to Israel's occupation of Palestinian territory. Reporting by Moaz Abd-Alaziz and Rami Ayyub; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons: Ismail Haniyeh, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Moaz Abd, Alaziz, Rami Ayyub, Chizu Organizations: Hamas, Iran's, Iranian, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS, Thomson Locations: Tehran, Iran, Qatar, Israel, Qatar's, Doha
Crude oil storage tanks are seen in an aerial photograph at the Cushing oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, U.S. April 21, 2020. The conflict in the Middle East has had little impact on global oil and gas supplies, and Israel is not a big producer. Iran's Oil Minister Javad Owji said on Friday oil prices are expected to reach $100 per barrel due to the current situation in the Middle East, according to the ministry's news agency SHANA. If the U.S. tightens enforcement of sanctions on Iran's oil exports due to any role it may have in the conflict, then Iran's oil supply could fall. On the U.S. supply front, drillers this week added four oil rigs in the biggest weekly rise since March, Baker Hughes said.
Persons: Brent, WTI, Israel, Javad Owji, SHANA, Iran's, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Andrew Lipow, Baker Hughes, Stephanie Kelly, Paul Carsten, Katya Golubkova, Andrew Hayley, Marguerita Choy, David Gregorio, Paul Simao Organizations: REUTERS, Companies, . West Texas, Iran's Oil, Hezbollah, U.S, Wall Street, Lipow Oil Associates, The, of, Petroleum, drillers, U.S . Commodity Futures Trading Commission, Thomson Locations: Cushing , Oklahoma, U.S, Gaza Saudi Arabia, Israel, Gaza, Tehran, Lebanese, Saudi Arabia, Moscow, Ukraine, Russia, Iran, China, New York, London, Tokyo, Beijing
Iran Holds State-Organised Rallies in Support of Palestinians
  + stars: | 2023-10-13 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com   time to read: +2 min
(Reuters) - State-organised rallies were held across Iran on Friday in support of Tehran's Palestinian Islamist ally Hamas and against the ongoing Israeli bombardment of the blockaded Gaza Strip, state TV reported. Israel has been pounding Gaza with air strikes and artillery fire since the deadliest ever Hamas attack on Israel last weekend. Tehran's state television described the Iranian rallies as "screams of a common pain ... However, the Islamic Republic's government's unwavering support for Hamas and other militant Palestinian and Lebanese groups does not have wide popular support in Iran. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was in Beirut on Friday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war with Hezbollah.
Persons: Hamas, Israel, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Mark Heinrich Organizations: Reuters, Gaza, Hamas, Iranian Locations: Iran, Palestinian, Gaza City, Israel, Lebanese, Gaza, Tehran, Islamic Republic, Beirut
BEIRUT, Oct 13 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian on Friday discussed Israel's war against Hamas with the head of the powerful Tehran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which has launched its own cross-border attacks on Israel. Amirabdollahian, who arrived in Beirut late on Thursday, said he had met Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah as well as Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bouhabib. Local media outlet Al-Mayadeen said the Iranian minister and Nasrallah had discussed Hamas' attack on Israel. Iran also supports Hamas, and has lauded the group's attack on Israel but has denied any involvement. On Thursday, Amirabdollahian said Israel's actions against the Palestinians would receive a response from Iran's allies and that Israel would have to bear the consequences.
Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Najib Mikati, Abdallah Bouhabib, Mayadeen, Nasrallah, Israel, Maya Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Miral Organizations: Iran's, Hezbollah, United Nations, Thomson Locations: BEIRUT, Tehran, Lebanese, Israel, Beirut, Iranian, Iran, Gaza, Egypt, Gaza City, Amirabdollahian, Syria, Damascus, Aleppo
We are prepared and ready, fully ready," Qassem said. "The question being asked, which everyone is waiting for, is: what Hezbollah will do and what will its contribution be?" Qassem spoke at a rally where hundreds of people had gathered in solidarity with Palestinians, waving the flags of Palestine and of Hezbollah. Other rallies were organized in Palestinian camps as well as cities across southern and eastern Lebanon where Hezbollah has a strong presence. He met on Friday morning with Iranian foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to discuss the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Persons: Sheikh Naim Qassem, Zohra, Naim Qassem, Qassem, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Laila Bassam, Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Christina Fincher Organizations: Hamas, REUTERS, Rights, United Nations, Palestinian, Hezbollah, Lebanese, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, Beirut, Lebanon, Rights BEIRUT, Palestine
Iran's Foreign Minister to Make Regional Tour - Tasnim
  + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com   time to read: 1 min
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister Hossein Amirabdollahian will start a regional tour on Thursday to discuss the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, involving trips to Iraq and Lebanon, the Tasnim news agency said on Thursday. Amirabdollahian will meet Iraqi officials on Thursday, the semi-official agency said. "In light of the current Palestinian events, the crimes committed against Gaza and their dangerous ramifications, the foreign minister's regional trip will start today", Tasnim cited Iran's ambassador in Lebanon as saying. (Reporting by Elwely Elwelly; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne and Angus MacSwan)
Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Tasnim, Elwely Elwelly, Andrew Cawthorne, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Reuters Locations: DUBAI, Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza
DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran's foreign minister accused Israel of seeking "genocide" by enforcing a siege against Gaza, according to Iranian state TV, before a visit to Iraq's capital on Thursday. "Today, the continuation of war crimes by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and Zionists against the civilians of Gaza, besieging, cutting off water and electricity, and denying entry of medicine and food, has created conditions where the Zionists are seeking a genocide of all people in Gaza," Hossein Amirabdollahian said. "The war we witness today in the Gaza Strip is not just the Zionists' war against Hamas, it is the Zionists' war against all Palestinians." (Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
Persons: Israel, Benjamin ) Netanyahu, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Reuters, Dubai Newsroom Locations: DUBAI, Gaza
Oct 12 (Reuters) - Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Thursday that the continuation of crimes against Palestinians will receive a response from "the rest of the axis" and Israel will be responsible for the consequences. The Iranian minister said the displacement of Palestinians and cutting water and electricity to the Gaza Strip are considered war crimes. Of course, in light of the continuation of these circumstances that are war crimes," he said, speaking through a translator, on television upon his arrival in Beirut. "The continuation of war crimes against Palestine and Gaza will receive a response from the rest of the axis. He did not specify, but the Axis of Resistance refers to an alliance among Iran, Palestinian militant groups, Syria, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and other factions.
Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Laila Bassam, Yomna Ehab, Cynthia Osterman Organizations: Iran's, Thomson Locations: Israel, Gaza, Beirut, Palestine, Iran, Palestinian, Syria, Lebanese
DAMASCUS, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Syria's state television said Israel launched attacks on the main airports in the capital Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo on Thursday. It said here had been damage but no casualties at the Aleppo airport, but did not give any information on the impact of the strike on Damascus Airport. The Israeli military does not usually comment on such incidents, and there was no immediate statement from it on Thursday. Israel has for years carried out strikes against what it has described as Iran-linked targets in Syria, including against the Aleppo and Damascus airports. Reporting by Firas Makdesi; Writing by Maya Gebeily; Editing by Alex Richardson and Andrew HeavensOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons: Israel, Bashar al, Assad, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Firas Makdesi, Maya Gebeily, Alex Richardson, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Thomson Locations: DAMASCUS, Damascus, Aleppo, Iran, Syria
However, Iran faces a new challenge from within as the one-year anniversary of the nationwide protests sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody approaches this Saturday. Today, Iran faces Western sanctions after the collapse of its 2015 nuclear deal. These are Iranian money.”From the Iranian side, claiming victory has been as important as freeing the cash. “This money belongs to the Islamic Republic of Iran," Raisi said through a government translator about the swap. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian suggested resuming negotiations over a roadmap that could see Tehran return to aspects of the nuclear deal, which the Islamic Republic walked away from last year.
Persons: Carter, , Walter Mondale, Matthew Miller, Behzad Nabavi, Ebrahim Raisi, Raisi, , Ronald Reagan, Hossein Amirabdollahian, , Matthew Lee, Jon Gambrell Organizations: United Arab Emirates, Embassy, . State Department, , NBC News, United Nations, U.S, Pentagon, Iranian, Islamic, Associated Press, The Associated Press, Gulf Cooperation, AP Locations: DUBAI, United Arab, Washington, Tehran, Iran, United States, Islamic Republic, South Korea, Qatar, U.S, Algier Accords, Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Today, U.S ., Strait, Hormuz, Persian Gulf, Russia, Ukraine, Gulf
Footage of the meeting on Iranian state media showed MbS and Amirabdollahian smiling as they spoke, while Prince Faisal and the Iranian delegation looked on. Saudi state news agency SPA said they discussed international and regional developments. [1/3]Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman meets with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia August 18, 2023. Prince Faisal visited Tehran in June and said he hoped Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi would visit the kingdom at the "appropriate time". Saudi Arabia had meanwhile lost confidence in U.S. commitment to shared regional security concerns and wanted to bolster ties with China, which has retained good relations with Iran.
Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Mohammed bin Salman, Prince Faisal, Saudi Crown Prince, Hossein Amir, Ebrahim Raisi, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, General Antony Blinken, Angus McDowall, Mark Potter, Conor Humphries Organizations: Saudi Arabian Crown, Saudi, MbS, Saudi Crown, Iranian, Iran's Foreign, West Asia News Agency, REUTERS Acquire, Iran's, U.S, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Saudi, Jeddah, United States, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Bahrain, Abdollahian, Saudi Arabia, China, Tehran, Iran, Ukraine, Beijing, East
Saudi crown prince meets Iran's foreign minister
  + stars: | 2023-08-18 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: 1 min
PoliticsSaudi crown prince meets Iran's foreign ministerPostedSaudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian in Jeddah on Friday (August 18) in the highest level talks since the countries reconciled after years of bitter rivalry that destabilised the region.
Persons: Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Hossein Amirabdollahian Organizations: Saudi Arabian Crown Locations: Saudi, Iranian, Jeddah
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian is seen before a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (not in picture) at Kishida's official residence in Tokyo, Japan August 7, 2023. REUTERS/Issei Kato/Pool/file photo Acquire Licensing RightsDUBAI, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Iran Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian will visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Iran state TV reported on Thursday. In June, Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met with Iranian officials in Tehran on his first visit to the country after the resumption of diplomatic ties with the Islamic republic in March. In March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed in a China-brokered deal to end a diplomatic rift and reestablish relations following years of hostility that had endangered regional stability in the Gulf, as well as in Yemen, Syria and Lebanon. Saudi Arabia broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters attacked its embassy in Tehran in retaliation for Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric.
Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Fumio Kishida, Issei Kato, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Tom Hogue Organizations: Iranian, Japanese, REUTERS, Rights, Saudi Arabian Foreign, Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Saudi, Tehran, China, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon
DUBAI, Aug 14 (Reuters) - Iran is committed to resolving its nuclear dispute with world powers through diplomacy, the country's Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian told reporters in a televised news conference on Monday. "We have always wanted a return of all parties to full compliance of the 2015 nuclear deal," Amirabdollahian said. Indirect talks between Washington and Tehran to revive the nuclear agreement have stalled since last September. The United States would also release some Iranians from U.S. prisons as part of the deal, Iran said. Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Amirabdollahian, Toby Chopra Organizations: Dubai Newsroom, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iran, Washington, Tehran, South Korea, United States, U.S
DUBAI, July 2 (Reuters) - Iran will refrain from sending a new ambassador to Sweden in protest over the burning of a Koran outside a mosque in Stockholm, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Sunday. A man tore up and burned a Koran outside Stockholm's central mosque on Wednesday, the first day of the Muslim Eid al Adha holidays. Swedish police charged the man who burned the holy book with agitation against an ethnic or national group. He did not specify how long Iran would refrain from sending an embassador to Sweden. While Swedish police have rejected several recent applications for anti-Koran demonstrations, courts have overruled those decisions, saying they infringed freedom of speech.
Persons: Hossein Amirabdollahian, Eid, Sweden's, Amirabdollahian, David Goodman Organizations: Iranian, Twitter, Swedish, Dubai, Thomson Locations: DUBAI, Iran, Sweden, Stockholm
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister made a high-profile visit to Tehran over the weekend, drawing coverage and praise about the improvement in relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia, two longtime foes. His Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian praised the re-establishment of diplomatic ties, saying it would improve security for the region. The meeting was the result of Iran and Saudi Arabia agreeing to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies in each other's countries after China-led negotiations in Beijing in March. The Iranian hosts complied with the minister's request for a change of venue in order to avert a diplomatic incident, regional outlets reported. What exists is a fragile agreement that can only be made stronger with time, consistency and trust building."
Persons: Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Qasem Soleimani, Sanam Vakil Organizations: Mutual, United Nations, Saudi, Chatham House Locations: Saudi, Tehran, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Beijing, East, North Africa
June 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia wants enhanced maritime security in the crucial Gulf region as part of its rapprochement with long-time rival Iran, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan said on Saturday. The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran in retaliation for Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Iran has recently been trying to mend its strained ties with several Gulf Arab states. Saudi Arabia's rapprochement with Iran has left Israel largely alone as it has sought to isolate Iran diplomatically. The United Arab Emirates, which was the first Gulf Arab country to sign a normalisation agreement with Israel in 2020, resumed formal relations with Iran last year.
Persons: Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Prince Faisal, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Ebrahim Raisi, Amirabdollahian, Hatem Maher, Aziz El Yaakoubi, Mark Heinrich, Louise Heavens, Mike Harrison Organizations: Foreign, United, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Thomson Locations: Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, Gulf, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Tehran, Saudi, Hormuz, United States, Israel, United Arab, Arab, Bahrain, Morocco, UAE, Cairo, Riyadh, Dubai
June 17 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Iran on Saturday amid a rapprochement between the two Middle East arch-foes, Iranian state TV said. The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran in retaliation for Riyadh's execution of a prominent Shiite cleric. Iran has recently been trying to mend its strained ties with several Gulf Arab states. Saudi Arabia’s rapprochement with Iran has left Israel largely alone as it has sought to isolate Iran diplomatically. The United Arab Emirates, which was the first Gulf Arab country to sign a normalisation agreement with Israel in 2020, resumed formal relations with Iran last year.
Persons: Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Bin Farhan, Ebrahim Raisi, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Mark Heinrich, Louise Heavens Organizations: Saudi Arabia's Foreign, United, United Arab Emirates, Israel, Thomson Locations: Saudi, Iran, Saudi Arabia, China, Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, Tehran, Israel, United Arab, Arab, Bahrain, Morocco, UAE
They arrived around 2:45 a.m. (0045 GMT) and were greeted by Belgian Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib, Belgium's Belga news agency reported. Danish citizen Thomas Kjems flew on to Copenhagen, landing at around 11 a.m. (0900 GMT) on Saturday. Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg tweeted photos of the two Austrians arriving in Vienna. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian tweeted on Saturday that he had told Lahbib that he hoped the prisoners' release would "open a new page" in Iran's relations with Belgium and Europe. Belgian government officials said that officially there were still 22 Europeans in Iranian prisons, but that no more Europeans would be exchanged for Assadi.
Persons: Thomas Kjems, Read, Dane, Asadollah Assadi, Olivier Vandecasteele, Assadi, Hadja Lahbib, Belgium's, It's, I've, Alexander Schallenberg, Hossein Amirabdollahian, Lahbib, Amirabdollahian, Massud Mosaheb, Kamran Ghaderi, Lars Lokke Rasmussen, Kazem, Ahmadreza, Louise Rasmussen, Tom Little, Charlotte Van Campenhout, Bart Biesemans, Andrew Gray, Francois Murphy, Hugh Lawson, Mark Potter, Frances Kerry Organizations: Copenhagen Airport, Europeans, Belgian Foreign, Austrian, Ministry, Austrian Friendship Society, Danish, Assadi, Iranian, Thomson Locations: Copenhagen, Denmark, Iran, BRUSSELS, DUBAI, Tehran, Belgian, Belgium, France, Oman, Danish, Vienna, Iranian, Europe, ., Swedish, Brussels, Dubai
Iraq says Iran blames reduced gas exports on 'technical' matter
  + stars: | 2023-05-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
An Iraqi delegation led by the electricity minister will travel to Iran next week to discuss the issue, Iraqi state media reported on Tuesday, noting gas imports had decreased by 20 million cubic meters at the time. Iraq usually imports between 50 million to 70 million cubic meters of gas, according to Iraq's electricity ministry spokesperson Ahmed Moussa. Iraq imports electricity and gas from Iran that in total makes up between a third and 40% of its power supply, especially crucial in the sweltering summer months when temperatures can top 50 degrees Celsius (122°F) and power consumption peaks. During Friday's phone call, Amirabdollahian thanked Iraq for trying to resolve the issue of financial transfers with Washington, the statement said. Iraq spends roughly $4 billion per year on imports of Iranian gas and power while at the same time burning massive quantities of natural gas as a byproduct of its hydrocarbons sector.
Saudi Arabia, Iran to reopen embassies 'within days'
  + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
BEIRUT, April 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and Iran will reopen embassies in each other's capitals "within days," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Friday in a sign of warming relations after the two countries closed their missions seven years ago. "During the last phone call between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia on Eid al-Fitr, we agreed to work in the next coming days on the reopening of the Iranian and Saudi embassies in Tehran and Riyadh," Amirabdollahian said, according to an official Arabic translation. Their relationship started deteriorating in 2015 following the intervention of Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the Yemen war, after the Iran-aligned Houthi movement toppled the Saudi-backed government and seized control of the capital Sanaa. The Iranian foreign minister confirmed President Ebrahim Raisi would visit Syria in "the near future" without providing details. The visit would be the first by an Iranian president to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since war broke out in Syria in 2011.
BEIRUT, April 28 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia and Iran will open embassies in each other's capitals "within days," Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian said on Friday as the relationship between the two regional rivals warms up after years of hostility. The Iranian and Saudi embassies in the respective countries have been closed since 2016. Saudi Arabia accused Iran of providing weapons to the Houthis who attacked Saudi cities with armed drones and ballistic missiles. Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed last month to end their diplomatic raw and restore diplomatic missions under a deal brokered by China. The visit will be the first by an Iranian president to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad since war broke out in Syria in 2011.
Iran, Azerbaijan foreign ministers in talks amid tensions
  + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +1 min
DUBAI, April 8 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Iran and Azerbaijan discussed "problems and misunderstandings" between the two countries in two phone calls, Iranian state media reported on Saturday, days after Baku expelled four Iranian diplomats over "provocative actions". The expulsions came amid a deterioration of ties, partly due to Baku's improving relations with Tehran's arch-enemy Israel. "The two sides emphasised good neighbourliness and mutual respect for each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the report said. During the row, Azerbaijan suggested that Iran may have been connected to an attempted assassination of an anti-Tehran Azerbaijani lawmaker. Iran, which has a large population of ethnic Azeris in its northwest, has strongly criticised Azerbaijan for moving closer to Israel, with its foreign ministry saying it sees the relationship between Azerbaijan and Israel as "anti-Iranian".
Foreign ministers of Iran, Saudi meet in China
  + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
CAIRO, April 6 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in China for the first formal meeting of their most senior diplomats in more than seven years, Saudi state-run Al Ekhbariya television said, under a deal to revive ties between the regional powers. Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite Muslim cleric. The relationship began worsening a year earlier, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in the Yemen war, where the Iran-aligned Houthi movement ousted a Saudi-backed government and took over the capital, Sanaa. For Saudi Arabia, the deal could mean improved security. The kingdom has blamed Iran for arming the Houthis, who carried out missile and drone attacks on its cities and oil facilities.
Saudi Arabia and Iran's foreign ministers held a historic meeting in Beijing on Thursday. While China has maintained close ties with both countries, the US and Iran have not had diplomatic relations in decades. The meeting between Prince Faisal bin Farhan of Saudi Arabia and Hossein Amirabdollahian of Iran was the first of its kind since 2016. They also discussed visas, as well as a visit to Saudi Arabia by Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi, per The Guardian. CIA director William Burns was in Saudi Arabia this week to discuss mutual intelligence cooperation and counterterrorism, Al-Arabiya reported.
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