NEW: Saudi Arabia, Iran Maintain First Direct Talks Since Battle Started
Saudi Arabia and Iran have initiated their first official high-level contact since the US-Israel conflict against Iran began on February 28.
On Thursday, April 9, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi. According to a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry, this marked the first publicly announced direct communication between the two sides since Iran launched retaliatory strikes against Gulf neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, since hostilities erupted.
“The call focused on reviewing developments in the situation and ways to slow the pace of tensions so as to help restore security and stability in the region,” a Saudi government spokesman said of the discussion. No separate detailed statement from the Iranian side has been released regarding the content of the call, though Iranian officials have confirmed the discussion covered bilateral relations and regional developments.
Thursday’s conversation follows reports from early March indicating that Saudi officials had intensified diplomatic back-channel engagement with Iran to contain the broader regional conflict. Those earlier interactions, involving security and diplomatic officials, were described by European sources as urgent efforts to prevent escalation and protect economic interests, including energy infrastructure in the Persian Gulf.
The timing coincides with a separate two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, which was mediated by Pakistan and took effect on April 8.
Under the terms, both sides agreed to pause direct hostilities. Iran committed to reopening the Strait of Hormuz for international shipping, a critical waterway for global oil transport that Tehran had effectively restricted during the conflict. In return, the U.S. and Israel halted strikes on Iranian targets.
President Donald Trump has described the arrangement as requiring Iran’s full compliance, including unrestricted passage through the strait, while Iranian officials characterized it as a temporary measure that did not signify the end of the war. Delegations from the two sides are scheduled to meet in Islamabad, Pakistan for further negotiations over the weekend.
As of Thursday, the U.S.-Iran ceasefire is holding with respect to direct exchanges between American and Iranian forces. However, the truce is widely described as fragile and subject to differing interpretations among the parties involved.
Israel has continued military operations against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon, actions that Iranian officials have labeled a violation of the ceasefire’s spirit, arguing that the agreement implicitly covers Iranian-backed groups. U.S. and Israeli statements maintain that the deal applies specifically to Iran and does not constrain operations against Hezbollah.
In addition, traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has remained limited despite the agreement’s requirement for its immediate and complete reopening.