Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 30, 2025

Saudi and Israeli foreign ministers joined recent State Department virtual meeting on Omicron

Saudi and Israeli foreign ministers joined recent State Department virtual meeting on Omicron

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's virtual meeting with foreign ministers about the Omicron coronavirus variant last week included the ministers from both Saudi Arabia and Israel, a rare instance where the two countries who do not have formal diplomatic relations participated in the same call.
A readout from the US State Department said Blinken had spoken with "several" foreign ministers during the December 21 meeting, but it did not specify from which countries.

Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid said in a tweet that the foreign ministers of "Japan, India, Mexico, Australia, Germany, and additional countries" were on the call, but he made no mention of Saudi Arabia.

For their part, the Saudis have made no public statement about the call. But a Saudi official told CNN that Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan took part in the virtual meeting with Blinken and others.

When asked whether Saudi Arabia had participated in the call, the US State Department referred CNN to the Saudis.

Chinese Ambassador to the US Qin Gang posted a screenshot of the virtual meeting to Twitter last week, which showed Prince Faisal and Lapid in attendance, along with a host of other diplomats.

Despite Israel's emerging relations with several Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the country has no formal diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia.

In November 2020, a member of then-Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government said that the longtime Israeli leader had met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Saudi city of Neom. The Saudis swiftly denied that such a meeting had taken place.

Israel and Saudi Arabia share a common interest in pushing back against Iranian actions throughout the region. Both countries view Iran and its proxies as the primary threat in the Middle East.

But despite the shared perspective on Iran and the widely held belief that the two have ongoing ties, relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia remain an incredibly sensitive topic.

Then-President Donald Trump and his administration put tremendous pressure on the Saudis to normalize relations with Israel, like the UAE and Bahrain, even in the waning days of Trump's presidency.

Should Saudi Arabia normalize relations with Israel, it would be the most significant country yet to do so, standing as the de facto leader of the Sunni Muslim world. A Saudi decision to normalize relations with Israel could potentially pull other Sunni countries along.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
×