By AIC Senior Research Fellow Andrew Lumsden

Since the inauguration of President Ebrahim Raisi in August, how Tehran’s new conservative government will approach diplomacy with Western powers concerning the future of the 2015 nuclear deal has largely dominated discussions of Iranian foreign policy. On that front, talks, since Raisi took office, which have only recently restarted, remain marred by lingering uncertainties. The Raisi Administration, however, has been extremely active in diplomatic engagement with Iran’s regional neighbors, surprisingly even including its longtime adversary, Saudi Arabia.

Beginning in April of 2021, Tehan and Riyadh have so far engaged in four rounds of bilateral talks, with negotiations having been initiated under former President Hassan Rouhani, and continued under Raisi. Both sides have expressed positive attitudes towards the talks, with Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister calling them “cordial,” and saying that Riyadh is “serious” about engaging with Iran and bringing stability to the Middle East. Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hossein Amir-Abdollahian, expressed similar sentiments in October, saying that talks are “moving in the right direction” and that the two sides have already come to some agreements.