Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi is set to attend a summit in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, to address the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. This would mark Raisi's first visit to Saudi Arabia since the two nations agreed to restore diplomatic relations, a deal brokered by China and announced in March. The summit, organized by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), will convene one day after an emergency meeting of Arab League leaders on the war. According to an anonymous source familiar with the summit's planning, President Raisi is scheduled to attend the OIC summit in Riyadh.

The OIC has been vocal in its condemnation of the attacks on civilians in Gaza, where Israel is attempting to eliminate Hamas. Israeli officials claim that Hamas' October 7 attack, which took 1,400 lives, mostly civilians, and resulted in 240 hostages, triggered their response. The Hamas-run health ministry reported a death toll of over 10,000 people, including more than 4,000 children, due to relentless Israeli bombardment. In a phone call on October 12, Raisi and Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, expressed their support for the Palestinian cause.

Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that they also discussed the necessity of ending war crimes against Palestine. It is important to note that neither Iran nor Saudi Arabia recognizes Israel, although prior to the war, Saudi Arabia was engaged in discussions facilitated by the United States on the potential normalization of relations. Hamas has long received financial and military assistance from Iran. Saudi officials, however, are deeply concerned about the war escalating and potentially destabilizing Prince Mohammed's ambitious Vision 2030 reform agenda aimed at transitioning the world's largest crude oil exporter away from fossil fuels. Thus, the upcoming summit in Riyadh, addressing the Israel-Hamas war, holds significant importance and highlights the evolving dynamics of regional alliances.