Iran announces first joint military drills with Saudi Arabia in Red Sea
Iran has announced joint military drills with Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea, though the kingdom has yet to confirm.
In a statement on Tuesday, the commander of Iran’s navy, Admiral Shahram Irani, said that they had been asked by Saudi Arabia to take part in the operations.
“Saudi Arabia has asked that we organise joint exercises in the Red Sea,” he was quoted as saying by the Iranian news agency ISNA.
“Coordination is underway and delegations from both countries will hold the necessary consultations on how to conduct the exercise."
He did not give any details on a potential timescale.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, visited Riyadh earlier this month and held talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in a sign of warming ties between the two oil-producing countries.
Iran and Saudi Arabia broke off relations in 2016 after the kingdom executed a prominent Shia cleric and government critic.
Protesters torched the Saudi embassy in Tehran in response and relations remained frosty for years after.
However, in 2023 the two countries normalised relations at a summit hosted by China and have been building closer ties ever since.
This is despite Iran's continued backing of the Houthis in Yemen, who fought a Saudi-led coalition for eight years from 2015. A truce has held between the Saudis and Sanaa-based administration in Yemen since 2022.
Middle East Eye delivers independent and unrivalled coverage and analysis of the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. To learn more about republishing this content and the associated fees, please fill out this form. More about MEE can be found here.
