Amwaj-Practical Outcomes From Iran/Saudi Meetings Still Unclear

Following the visit of Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian to Saudi Arabia for talks with his counterpart as well as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, there has been notable focus on the outcomes of the trip and what the future of Iranian-Saudi relations look like in the wake of the resumption in diplomatic ties.

• Mohammad Ali Shabani atAmwaj Media posts on X:
  • "Iran FM Amirabdolahian's trip to Saudi Arabia is notable. But details on practical outcomes are scant. Iranian ambo only installed last week. Unclear whether KSA envoy posted in Tehran. Fundamental contention: Diff in Iran vs. KSA focus.
  • Saudi Arabia has a chiefly security-oriented focus, although centered on enabling Vision 2030 implementation. Yemen and less so Syria among key issues, but progress is now complicated by increasing clarity on limits to Iranian clout.
  • Raisi & MbS have accepted respective invitations and there's talk of committees being set up & long-term cooperation docs being drawn. However, progress will likely remain slow in absence of Iran-US shift. Next step: Keep an eye on UNGA sidelines."
• Looking ahead, the divergence on Saudi's security focus but Iran's economic focus could limit the scale of cooperation. Iran's influence on Houthi rebels in Yemen is limited, meaning Tehran are unlikely to be able to call an end to the conflict as Riyadh would like. For Iran, Saudi cannot engage in significant FDI or trade until the US relaxes its sanctions regime, which appears unlikely in the near term.