By Staff, Agencies

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed that the Islamic Republic and Saudi Arabia can serve as a model for regional cooperation, stressing that the unity of Islamic countries is a prerequisite for achieving peace, security, and sustainable economic development in the region.

Pezeshkian made the remarks during a meeting with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and his delegation in Tehran on Thursday evening, hours after the Saudi minister arrived in the Iranian capital to discuss regional developments and bilateral relations with Iranian officials.

The Iranian president emphasized the deep religious, cultural, and historical commonalities among Islamic countries, underscoring the necessity of strengthening unity and cohesion in the Islamic world.

“We consider you our brothers, and since the beginning of this government’s tenure, we have made efforts to strengthen fraternal ties among Islamic nations,” Pezeshkian said, adding that if Islamic countries achieve a common language and genuine unity, the Zionist entity will no longer can cause human tragedies like those unfolding in the besieged Gaza Strip nowadays.

He also touched on the importance of setting aside differences and boosting regional cooperation.

“Leaders of Islamic countries can, with a shared will, present an inspiring model of coexistence, prosperity, and progress for other societies. The Islamic Republic of Iran is fully prepared to expand its relations with Saudi Arabia in all fields and extend bilateral cooperation to other Islamic countries,” Pezeshkian stressed.

He also hailed the idea of establishing joint working groups in various political, economic, and security areas between Iran and Saudi Arabia.

Prince Khalid bin Salman, for his part, expressed his delight at visiting Iran and conveyed the warm greetings of his father, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and his brother, the Crown Prince, to Iran’s president.

“Our meetings with officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran have been very useful, positive, and constructive,” the Saudi defense minister noted.

He emphasized the need for unity and convergence in the Islamic world, stressing that Pezeshkian “rightly pointed to the root cause of the Islamic world’s problems — the lack of unity and cohesion.”

Bin Salman also stressed that any development, whether positive or negative, inevitably affects all countries in the region.

He further highlighted the key role of Tehran and Riyadh in regional dynamics.

“Iran and Saudi Arabia are two main pillars of the region, and strong relations between the two countries can serve as an effective model for convergence and synergy in the Islamic world. The Beijing Agreement marks the beginning of a path of cooperation between the two countries, and the potential of our relations goes far beyond that,” bin Salman emphasized.