Iran: normalisation between Saudi Arabia and Israel is ‘betrayal’ of Palestinians, says Raisi

Normalisation of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel will be a “betrayal” of the Palestinian cause, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said on Wednesday. Raisi made his comment during a press conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.

When asked about normalisation between Saudi Arabia and the occupation state, the Iranian president began his answer by welcoming the recent rapprochement between Tehran and Riyadh, stressing that Iran’s relationship with Saudi Arabia is developing. The rapprochement took place after mediation by China earlier this year.

a relationship between regional countries and the Zionist regime is a stab in the back of the Palestinian people

“The initiation of a relationship between the Zionist regime and any country in the region, if it is with the aim to bring security for the Zionist regime, will certainly not do so,” said Raisi. “We believe that a relationship between regional countries and the Zionist regime is a stab in the back of the Palestinian people and of the resistance of the Palestinians.”

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman told Fox News that the Kingdom is “getting closer every day” to normalising relations with Israel. His statement came at a time when US President Joe Biden was discussing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. Biden and Netanyahu have pledged to work towards Israel-Saudi normalisation.

In his interview, Bin Salman confirmed that negotiations are ongoing between his country and Israel, while stressing that, “For us, the Palestinian issue is very important. We need to solve that part.” Nevertheless, the prince expressed his hope that these negotiations “will reach a place that will ease the life of the Palestinians and get Israel as a player in the Middle East.”

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