Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, for an important summit on the war between Israel and Hamas, where Arab leaders pushed for an end to the conflict.
The meeting marks the first trip by an Iranian leader to Saudi Arabia in 11 years, after the two countries restored diplomatic relations in March.
Raisi shook hands with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, heir to the Saudi throne and ruler of the country.
At Tehran airport, Raisi said: “Palestine is the most important issue in the Islamic world” and Gaza should not be an “arena for words”, but for action.
He called on the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to make a “definitive, actionable and implementable decision on Gaza.”
In his opening remarks, the Saudi prince said the country “categorically rejects” the war to which the Palestinians are being subjected.
“This summit is being held under exceptional and painful circumstances,” said Bin Salman.
“We categorically reject this brutal war to which our brothers and sisters are being subjected in Palestine. We renew our demand for an immediate cessation of military operations.”
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said the US “is responsible for the absence of a political solution” as it has greater influence over Israel.
Bashar al-Assad also participated in the meeting
Raisi’s presence at the meeting is significant amid speculation that Lebanese radical group Hezbollah could become an unpredictable actor in the war and trigger a wider regional conflict.
Hezbollah has increasingly allied itself with Hamas.
Hamas leaders have met with Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah several times over the past year, and the Gaza-based group’s deepening links to Iran are widely known.
Since Israel’s war with Hamas broke out, Hezbollah’s political position has unequivocally supported the Palestinian militants.
The Lebanese group sponsored demonstrations in support of Palestinian groups and categorically condemned Israel’s large-scale airstrikes in Gaza.
A significant number of Arab leaders take part in the emergency meeting this Saturday (11), entitled the Extraordinary Joint Islamic Arab Summit.
The meeting is being organized by Saudi Arabia in response to the “unprecedented circumstances in Gaza,” according to a statement released by the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The meeting aims to discuss ways to stop “Israeli aggression on Gaza,” an Arab League statement said ahead of the summit.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad also arrived for the event, a further sign of Syria’s rehabilitation among Arab states, following his participation in a regional meeting in May.
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Source: CNN Brasil
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