Talks between Saudi Arabia, Iran Enter ‘Serious’ Phase

An advertisement promotes local products in Tehran. (AFP)
An advertisement promotes local products in Tehran. (AFP)
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Talks between Saudi Arabia, Iran Enter ‘Serious’ Phase

An advertisement promotes local products in Tehran. (AFP)
An advertisement promotes local products in Tehran. (AFP)

Talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran are now on a “more serious path,” including discussions on resolving Yemen’s conflict.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh confirmed in a weekly press conference that the negotiations between Saudi Arabia and Iran are still going well in Iraq.

“Baghdad has been a good host to date, and there is no need to change the location of the talks as long as possible. The two countries are discussing more serious issues.”

Iran’s Fars news agency quoted Khatibzadeh as saying: “The talks with Saudi Arabia can achieve security and stability in the region.”

“Iran has always pursued its policy and believes that talks between regional actors and Iran and Saudi Arabia can be one of the pillars of peace and stability in the Gulf region,” he added.

He added that the issue of “Yemen has been part of the talks between the two sides.”

The official said that efforts were being made to improve peace and stability in the Persian Gulf through better relations between Tehran and Riyadh.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan had revealed earlier this month that the Kingdom and Iran have held four rounds of “exploratory talks,” the last of which were held on September 21.

On the nuclear file, Khatibzadeh confirmed his government would return to the Vienna negotiations but will not negotiate a new text or nuclear agreement.

“We confirmed that the negotiations will take place in Vienna, and that the Iranian delegation will not negotiate a new text, and that the dialogue will be within the framework of the nuclear agreement.”

Turning to Iraq, Khatibzadeh congratulated its government, people and elected lawmakers on successfully holding parliamentary elections on Sunday, hoping that through unity and solidarity among all MPs, a new government would be formed.

He said Iran, as always, supports Iraq and is ready for cooperation with Baghdad, adding that the country is on the right path towards peace.

Azerbaijan tensions
The spokesman also addressed the relations between Iran and Azerbaijan, saying the two countries have always pursued a logical procedure in their relations.

He noted the region is going through a very sensitive stage, and it is important to understand regional conditions and the situation in the Caspian Sea region.

“Iran has voiced its concerns to the Azeri side, and they have also said they will address them. We told the Azerbaijani side that some of Iran’s concerns should be resolved.”

Moreover, he stressed that the alleged Israeli presence in Azerbaijan created tensions between Baku and Tehran.

“We have never closed our airspace to Azerbaijan. The land route is also open between the two countries, and the two sides should not allow third-parties to affect relations,” Khatibzadeh underlined.

Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL) had said it had started using the airspace of neighboring Armenia on Wednesday after media reports claimed that Iran closed off its airspace to military flights.

Relations between Tehran and Baku have deteriorated recently, against the backdrop of maneuvers carried out by the Iranian army near the border with Azerbaijan and Baku’s decision to impose customs duties on Iranian trucks heading to Europe through its territory.

AFP had reported that Azeri authorities closed a mosque linked to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Azerbaijan’s Interior Ministry said the reason for the closure, which also affected other indoor spaces, was a surge in coronavirus infections.



Anti-war Demonstrators Protest the Arrival of an Israeli Cruise Ship on the Greek Island of Crete

 Pro-Palestinians protesters gather during the departure of a ship carrying Israeli tourists, background, in Agios Nikolaos port, on the island of Crete, Greece, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (Antonis Zouridakis/Eurokinissi via AP)
Pro-Palestinians protesters gather during the departure of a ship carrying Israeli tourists, background, in Agios Nikolaos port, on the island of Crete, Greece, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (Antonis Zouridakis/Eurokinissi via AP)
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Anti-war Demonstrators Protest the Arrival of an Israeli Cruise Ship on the Greek Island of Crete

 Pro-Palestinians protesters gather during the departure of a ship carrying Israeli tourists, background, in Agios Nikolaos port, on the island of Crete, Greece, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (Antonis Zouridakis/Eurokinissi via AP)
Pro-Palestinians protesters gather during the departure of a ship carrying Israeli tourists, background, in Agios Nikolaos port, on the island of Crete, Greece, Tuesday, July 29, 2025. (Antonis Zouridakis/Eurokinissi via AP)

Demonstrators calling for an end to the war in Gaza protested the arrival of an Israeli cruise ship on another Greek island Tuesday – the third such protest on Greek islands in the last week.

Protesters on the southern Greek island of Crete unfurled a huge Palestinian flag at the port of Agios Nikolaos and shouted “Free, free Palestine” as the tourists on board the Crown Iris disembarked and left on buses for their tours of the island, according to images shown on local media outlets.

Riot police kept the crowd away from the pier where the cruise ship was docked, while scuffles broke out between demonstrators and police. Local media reported that officers used pepper spray at one point to keep the crowd back.

Four people were detained, local media said. Video showed police leading one man away, his arms cuffed behind his back, as he shouted “Free, free Palestine.”

Similar scenes unfolded the previous day when the Crown Iris docked in a port on the eastern Greek island of Rhodes, where clashes broke out between riot police and demonstrators calling for an end to the war in Gaza. There also, the cruise ship’s passengers disembarked for tours of the island, and no violence was reported.

Anti-war protesters on Greece’s Cycladic island of Syros were the first to hold a demonstration against the docking of the Crown Iris, on July 22. The crowd of about 150 people chanted slogans and carried banners that read “Stop the Genocide” and “No a/c in hell” — a reference to the conditions Palestinians face in the Gaza Strip.

On that occasion, the ship’s roughly 1,700 passengers didn't disembark and the ship left the island earlier than planned, with the company operating the trip, Israel’s Mano Cruise, saying it had “decided in light of the situation in the city of Syros to now sail to another tourist destination.”

Last week's incident had triggered a phone call by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar to Greek counterpart George Gerapetritis.

Greece is a popular tourist destination for Israelis on package tours and traveling independently, particularly in the summer months, and there are several flights per day between Tel Aviv and Athens, as well as from Israeli airports directly to Greek islands.