Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will embark on a regional tour, including Saudi Arabia, starting Tuesday, amid mounting criticism from hardline Iranian media accusing Arab states of neglecting support for Gaza.
According to the semi-official ISNA media outlet, Araghchi will discuss regional issues and work to halt Israel's operations in Gaza and Lebanon during his trip.
"Our dialogue continues regarding the developments in the region to prevent the shameless crimes of the Zionist regime in Lebanon, in continuation of the crimes in Gaza," Araghchi said in a video broadcast by state media.
He further added, "Starting today, I'll begin a trip to the region, to Riyadh and other capitals, and we will strive for a collective movement from the countries of the region... to stop the brutal attacks in Lebanon."
Meanwhile, Tasnim, a media outlet affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, sharply criticized Arab leaders on Tuesday for their inaction without directly mentioning Araghchi’s visit to Saudi Arabia.
The outlet accused Arab leaders in the Persian Gulf region of having "merely been spectators to the Zionists' brutality in Gaza" over the past year, claiming that they not only refrained from taking a decisive stance against Israel's aggression but also, either openly or covertly, lent support to the regime and its actions.
Most Persian Gulf Arab states, like Iran, are major energy exporters and have conveyed a neutrality on the Iran-Israel conflict to Tehran, sources told Reuters last week.
Araghchi’s diplomatic efforts come shortly after his visits to Lebanon and Syria, two Arab states more aligned with Tehran.
During his first official visit to Lebanon, Araghchi emphasized Iran’s steadfast support for Hezbollah, declaring that his presence in Beirut, despite ongoing bombings, underscored this commitment. "Iran will always stand with the people of Lebanon," he tweeted.
Last Friday, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei led prayers for the first time in five years, reinforcing a message he has focused on recently: the unity of Muslim countries against the presence of the US and other Western powers in the region. Khamenei called for solidarity, stating, “We have to tighten the belt of defense... from Afghanistan to Yemen, Iran to Gaza and Lebanon, in all Islamic countries. That’s the first issue I wanted to discuss.”
This message echoed his earlier speech in September during the 38th Islamic Unity Conference, where he reiterated his long-standing vision: "With the formation of an Islamic Ummah, Muslims can, through their internal strength, remove the malignant cancer of the Zionist regime from Palestine and eliminate the oppressive influence, domination, and interference of the United States in the region."