Iran, Saudi Arabia call for immediate ceasefire in Gaza, delivery of humanitarian aid

Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, have underlined the need for an urgent ceasefire in Gaza and the delivery of humanitarian aid to the besieged territory.

During a meeting in Geneva on Wednesday, Amir-Abdollahian said the Muslim world needs to “exert strong pressure on the Zionist regime and the US government in order to immediately implement the ceasefire and send immediate humanitarian aid to the Palestinian people.”

Bin Farhan said Riyadh and Tehran have a “common view” regarding the Palestinian issue and the cessation of Israel’s barbaric aggression on Gaza.

“We have a common view on supporting the Palestinian nation and the immediate establishment of a ceasefire and the sending of urgent humanitarian aid, and we will continue our efforts,” the Saudi foreign minister added.

Prior to the meeting, Bin Farhan censured the “double-standard approach” by the international community toward Israel’s brutal war on the besieged Palestinian territory, saying, “What is coming to pass in Gaza is against all international conventions.”

The top Saudi diplomat slammed the silence and absence of international action, and said, “Double standards regarding the Gaza war are intolerable.”

Israel waged the brutal war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance groups carried out Operation Al-Aqsa Storm against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed at least 18,412 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and injured 50,100 others.

The illegal entity has also imposed a “complete siege” on the territory, cutting off fuel, electricity, food and water to the more than two million Palestinians living there.

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Bilateral ties ‘on the right track’

During the meeting in Geneva on Wednesday, Amir-Abdollahian voiced his satisfaction with the progress in the improvement of relations between the two sides, saying Iran and Saudi Arabia are two “important and influential” countries in the West Asia region.

He highlighted the need for enhanced economic and trade relations between Tehran and Riyadh and said Iran is ready to strengthen bilateral ties “in various fields.”

Bin Farhan said the relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are “on the right track,” and “we are witnessing a positive trend in bilateral ties and we welcome the development of relations between the two countries.”

Back in March, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed under a Chinese-brokered deal to restore diplomatic relations severed in 2016.

As part of a joint statement issued by the two sides, Tehran and Riyadh agreed to implement a security cooperation agreement signed in April 2001 and another deal reached in May 1998 to boost ties in various sectors.

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