As Iran, Israel lurch toward war, Saudi Arabia seeks rapprochement with Tehran
Riyadh seeks assurances from Tehran that energy infrastructure in the region is spared amid talks of Israeli retaliation targeting Iranian oil and gas assets.
DUBAI — Gulf states continued to assess the broader spillover from Tehran's escalation with Israel at a regional meeting attended by Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
Pezeshkian met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan on the sidelines of an Asian Cooperation Dialogue meeting in the Qatari capital of Doha on Thursday. He also earlier met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
Iran launched nearly 200 missiles on Tuesday night targeting various sites, including air bases, across Israel. Iran said the missile barrage was in retaliation for Israel's killing of Tehran-backed Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah as well as for the deaths of senior Hamas and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders.
The attack, which has heightened concerns in the Gulf of a heavy-handed Israeli response, has alarmed Gulf states that are worried about any possible impact on their energy assets and the smooth flow of oil and gas trade.
