First contact between presidents amid Gaza war
The United States is calling on its international partners to use their influence with Hamas and its supporters in Iran to persuade the movement's fighters to stop attacking Israel in the first comment on the call
The war between Israel and Hamas and the ongoing escalation in Gaza prompted Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to make his first phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman since the sudden rapprochement between their countries in March, as announced by the official Saudi media. Meanwhile, the United States has called on its international partners to use their influence with Hamas and its supporters in Tehran to encourage the movement’s fighters to cease their attacks on Israel, according to a senior US official.
Saudi Arabia, a strategic partner of the United States in the Middle East, plays a crucial role in trying to end the escalation in Gaza by mobilizing its diplomacy. Observers believe that the current tension in the region will affect the efforts to normalize relations between Riyadh and Tel Aviv.
The official Saudi news agency, SPA, reported that Crown Prince Mohammed received a phone call from Raisi, during which they discussed the ongoing military escalation in Gaza and its surroundings.
According to SPA, Crown Prince Mohammed emphasized to the Iranian President that “the Kingdom is making possible efforts by communicating with all international and regional parties to stop the ongoing escalation.” He also stressed, according to the same source, “the Kingdom’s rejection of targeting civilians in any way, taking innocent lives, and the need to adhere to the principles of international humanitarian law.”
Furthermore, he emphasized “the Kingdom’s firm stance in advocating the Palestinian cause and supporting efforts to achieve a comprehensive and just peace that guarantees the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people,” according to SPA.
In parallel, Iran‘s official news agency, IRNA, reported that both leaders discussed “the necessity of ending war crimes against Palestine.”
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has held talks with leaders of regional countries, including Egypt and Turkey, in addition to Western officials, in an effort to de-escalate and stop the war.
Concurrently with these efforts, Washington has called on its allies to play a role and use their influence to urge Hamas and its supporters in Iran to stop targeting Israel, referencing the efforts being made by Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, Jordan, and Turkey. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken will be visiting Israel and Jordan in solidarity, with expectations that other countries in the region, including Israel, will be among his stops.
A senior U.S. official accompanying Blinken stated that the United States has no problem with its allies engaging in dialogue with Hamas or Hezbollah or Iran, with any of these three entities, to carry Hamas to cease its attacks and release hostages while pushing Hezbollah and Iran out of the conflict.
Iran supports Hamas and praised the surprise attack by the movement on Israel last Saturday. Blinken and other U.S. officials say that Hamas receives support from Iran, but there is no evidence that Tehran directed the attacks on Israel.
Tehran denied accusations that it was involved in the Hamas operation.
The fighting between Hamas and Israel has led to the deaths of more than 1,200 Israelis and 1,000 Palestinians, with the bombing of the Gaza Strip escalating.
