After the Raisi helicopter crash, which was carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and only to be declared dead, Saudi Arabia expressed great concern and even offered assistance in the search for the helicopter on Sunday.
Issuing the statement, the foreign ministry of Gulf Kingdom said, “We affirm that the Kingdom stands by the sisterly Islamic Republic of Iran in these difficult circumstances and its readiness to provide any assistance that the Iranian agencies need.”
Meanwhile other gulf states like Qatar, Kuwait and United Arab Emirates too expressed their concerns and offered assistance.
Taking to X, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesman said, “Qatar expressed its “deep concern” over the helicopter carrying Iran’s president and foreign minister and offered “to provide all forms of support in the search.”
Later it also added, “Qatar’s wishes for the safety of the president, the foreign minister, and their companions.” said Gulf state’s spokesman Majed Al-Ansari.
Meanwhile, United Arab Emirates too declared, that it is ready to support search and rescue operation. While Kuwait also expressed their condolences saying, “it was standing “with the Islamic Republic of Iran in these difficult circumstances”.
These condolences come at a time when Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia and Shia-majority Iran have long clashed with each other in regional conflicts. Which has drastically affected other countries like Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Yemen.
Earlier in 2016, bilateral relations between the two countries were severed due to an attack on Saudi’s diplomatic missions in Iran following Riyadh’s execution of Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr.
However, what’s notable is that this diplomatic outreach is already underway. As in March 2023, these middle eastern heavyweights announced surprise rapprochement, which was brokered by China.
Later, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman also made a phone call to Iranian president.
As a result, Raisi already planned to visit Riyadh for Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s meeting this November.
