Alireza Enayati says relations with Saudi Arabia are ‘progressing naturally’ and he’s in direct contact with Saudi officers.
Revealed On 15 Mar 2026
Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia denied Tehran is chargeable for assaults on Saudi Arabia’s oil infrastructure, saying if it was behind the strikes, it might have introduced it.
Alireza Enayati didn’t counsel who carried out the assaults, however added Iran is barely attacking United States and Israeli navy targets and pursuits in the course of the ongoing war, Reuters information company quoted him as saying on Sunday.
Really useful Tales
checklist of 4 objectsfinish of checklist
After the US and Israel launched assaults on Iran on the finish of February, Tehran retaliated towards US and Israeli navy belongings, together with in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Final week, the Ras Tanura oil refinery was compelled to cease operations after particles from a drone brought on a small hearth. Tried assaults have been additionally reported on the Shaybah oilfield within the desert close to the border with the UAE.
To date, Saudi Arabia’s Defence Ministry has not blamed anybody for the assaults.
Enayati mentioned he’s in direct contact with Saudi officers, explaining that relations are “progressing naturally” in lots of areas.
Talks included Saudi Arabia’s publicly said place that its land, sea, and air wouldn’t be used to focus on Iran. He didn’t elaborate.
Iran and Saudi Arabia re-established diplomatic relations in 2023, in a deal brokered by China, that noticed the 2 sides, which backed rival teams throughout the area, agree on a brand new chapter in bilateral relations.
‘Reliance on exterior powers’
Enayati reiterated to the Gulf states that the conflict “has been imposed on us and the area” following coordinated US and Israeli assaults.
Requested concerning the assaults on Gulf nations, Enayati replied: “We’re neighbours, and we can not do with out one another; we’ll want a severe evaluate.”
“What the area has witnessed over the previous 5 a long time is the results of an exclusionary method and an extreme reliance on exterior powers,” he mentioned, calling for deeper ties between the Gulf Cooperation Council’s six members together with Iraq and Iran.
Iran’s Overseas Minister Abbas Araghchi additionally denied his nation is concentrating on civilian or residential areas within the Center East, and mentioned Tehran is able to kind a committee with its neighbours to research the accountability for such strikes.
To date, the UAE, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020, has confronted the brunt of Iran’s assaults, with US bases and oil refineries closely focused.
Whereas all nations focused have strongly condemned Iran’s missile and drone strikes, regional sources say there stays rising frustration at america for dragging them right into a conflict they didn’t join however at the moment are paying the heaviest value for, Reuters reported.
Enayati mentioned to resolve the battle, the US and Israel have to cease their assaults, and worldwide safety ensures to stop future “aggression” have to be given.
Paul Musgrave, affiliate professor at Georgetown College in Qatar, mentioned the administration of US President Donald Trump has misplaced a lot of its leverage within the area, and the US engaged within the unsuitable battle on the unsuitable second, with out correct planning.
Iran’s technique, in the meantime, now appears to be “not who has an even bigger bomb or greater munitions, however who has the best threshold for ache”, Musgrave instructed Al Jazeera.
