Will a reformist president in Tehran open the door to deeper ties?

King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman have both congratulated Iranian president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian, state news agency SPA reported (here and here). King Salman said in a message that the Kingdom was “looking forward to continue developing relations between the two countries and continued consultations and dialogue to bolster regional and international peace and security.” The Crown Prince said he was keen on developing and deepening relations between Riyadh and Tehran.

Meet Iran’s next president: Pezeshkian, who is seen as a reformist, beat hardline rival Saeed Jalili in a second-round runoff that saw him secure 53.3% of the vote. No candidate was able to secure a majority in the first round of voting in late June. Pezeshkian, who is a member of the Iranian parliament, has been a vocal critic of Iran’s morality police and has vowed to deepen Iran’s ties with the international community.