TEHRAN – Ambassador of Iran to Saudi Arabia Alireza Enayati met with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman, in Mina, Saudi Arabia.

On the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, representing King Salman bin Abdulaziz, hosted a special ceremony to welcome Islamic leaders and the heads of this year’s Hajj delegations.

On Monday, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held the annual reception at the Royal Court in the Mina Palace. The event welcomed government officials, Saudi princes, Islamic leaders, guests of the King, guests of government officials, and the heads of this year’s Hajj missions and offices.

As reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Crown Prince delivered a speech during the ceremony, extending greetings to the guests and pilgrims of the Holy Kaaba.

"I am very pleased to extend Eid al-Adha greetings on behalf of the King of Saudi Arabia," he said. "We ask God to accept the acts of the pilgrims and help them complete their rituals safely, smoothly, and confidently. We are proud to fulfill this great duty and strive to provide all our efforts and resources to ensure the comfort of God's guests from their arrival until they return home."

In another part of his speech, bin Salman addressed the ongoing violence in Gaza. "Eid al-Adha has arrived while the most brutal crimes against our brothers in Gaza continue," he said. "We emphasize the need for an immediate end to these aggressions and call on the international community to take all measures to protect the lives of the people of Gaza."

The Crown Prince also reiterated the importance of implementing recent UN Security Council resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. "Saudi Arabia once again calls on the international community to recognize an independent Palestinian state within the 1967 borders," he said, "so the Palestinian brothers can achieve their legitimate rights and comprehensive, just, and lasting peace can be realized."

Concluding his speech, bin Salman extended Eid al-Adha greetings and wished security and comfort for the Islamic community.

In remarks to the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper on Sunday, the Iranian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia had underscored that Iran will continue to strengthen relations with the Saudi Arabia at the directives of the two countries’ leaderships.

Alireza Enayati stressed that the Hajj helps forge relations of friendship between Muslims, adding that Tehran places great importance on its ties with Riyadh.

On Iranian Hajj pilgrims, Enayati said they are organized and have completed their holy rituals smoothly and at ease.

He underscored the complete coordination between the Iranian Hajj mission and Saudi authorities, whom he thanked for their major accomplishment of organizing the annual pilgrimage.

The ongoing cooperation between Riyadh and Tehran across various domains underscores the shared commitment of both sides to enhancing their relationship, marking a positive step forward in their diplomatic engagement.

China successfully mediated high-stakes talks between Tehran and Riyadh in March of last year, which led to the conclusion of a deal between the two sides that foresaw the resumption of their ties.

The Iranian Consulate in Saudi Arabia’s port city of Jeddah was officially reopened in June of last year. The two countries had severed their ties in January 2016 after the execution of Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr, a prominent Shia cleric in Saudi Arabia, prompted angry protests in front of the Saudi Embassy in Tehran and the kingdom's Consulate in the city of Mashhad.

Notably, the formal commencement of military cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia on November 30, 2023, marked a pivotal moment after nearly a decade-long hiatus.