Iranian media reported on Saturday that the commander of Iran’s navy stated that his nation, Saudi Arabia, and three other Gulf states intend to create a naval alliance that will also include India and Pakistan.
Iran’s navy commander Shahram Irani was quoted as stating, “The countries of the region have today realized that only cooperation between each other brings security to the area.”
He claimed that an alliance would soon be established, but he gave no further details.
Iran has recently endeavored to improve its tense relations with a number of Gulf Arab nations.
Saudi Arabia and Iran reached a peace agreement in March after seven years of animosity, with the mediation of China, emphasizing the importance of economic cooperation and regional stability.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Qatar, Iraq, Pakistan, and India are also joining the alliance, according to naval commander Irani.
Israel’s attempts to diplomatically isolate Iran have been thwarted by Saudi Arabia’s warming relations with Iran.
The UAE reestablished official relations with Iran last year after being the first member of the Gulf Cooperation Council to sign a normalization agreement with Israel in 2020.