Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan held a phone conversation with his Iranian counterpart, Ali Bagheri Kani, on Thursday, August 1, 2024, to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry issued a statement confirming the call, stating that the two ministers discussed "bilateral relations and the latest developments in the region," without providing further details.

The phone call comes amidst ongoing regional and international efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region, following the joint announcement by Hamas and Iran on Wednesday that Israeli forces had assassinated Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in a strike on his residence in Tehran. The alleged assassination occurred after Haniyeh attended the inauguration ceremony of Iran's new president, Ebrahim Raisi.

The call also follows Saudi Arabia's announcement on Wednesday that Raisi received a letter from King Salman bin Abdulaziz regarding bilateral relations, delivered by Saudi Minister of State and Advisor Mansour bin Abdulaziz during a meeting with Raisi in Tehran on Tuesday.

In September 2023, diplomatic representation between the two countries was re-established for the first time since the severance of diplomatic relations in 2016. This followed an agreement to resume relations in March 2023, reached during talks facilitated by China in Beijing.

Saudi Arabia had severed ties with Iran in 2016 after attacks on the Saudi embassy in Tehran and consulate in Mashhad, in response to the execution of Saudi Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr by the Saudi government. Al-Nimr was convicted on charges including terrorism.