Saudi Foreign Ministry: Visit of Defense Minister and 'Mecca Agreement' representatives to Tehran continues de-escalation efforts

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Crown Prince Prince Khaled bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense’s visit to Tehran, to meet with delegations from member states of the “Mecca Defense Agreement” alongside Iranian officials, aims to de-escalate tensions and support Qatari and Pakistani mediation efforts.

In a statement, the ministry said that “in continuation of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s role in fostering regional and international dialogue and peace, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms that the visit by His Royal Highness Prince Khaled bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Minister of Defense, and representatives of the Mecca Defense Agreement countries to the Iranian capital (Tehran) to meet with senior Iranian officials, is part of the ongoing efforts by Mecca Defense Agreement countries to de-escalate tensions among parties to the current crisis, encourage dialogue and diplomatic solutions, and support mediation efforts undertaken by the State of Qatar and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”

The ministry, in the statement relayed by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), expressed the “Kingdom’s hope that the parties to the crisis will respond positively and constructively to the outcomes of this visit and to the ongoing efforts of Qatar and Pakistan, thereby contributing to resolving the crisis through dialogue and diplomacy, emphasizing the importance of opening negotiation channels to prevent a return to military escalation in the region, and paving the way for an agreement that ends the crisis and achieves security and peace in the region and the world.”

The “Kingdom reaffirmed the pivotal role of Mecca Agreement countries in ensuring the security and stability of the region, and its commitment to working with all countries to achieve peace in the region and the world.”