The story: Saudi Arabia has hosted Iran’s foreign minister, reciprocating a landmark Saudi trip to Tehran in June. The Iranian visit follows the China-mediated deal between Riyadh and Tehran in March to normalize diplomatic relations. While Hossein Amir-Abdollahian met his Saudi counterpart and the crown prince for a total of five hours, details are scant on the practical outcome of the talks. Notably, progress on bilateral cooperation is further complicated by US sanctions, and Washington’s reported push for Saudi Arabia to normalize ties with Israel—Iran’s arch-rival in the region.

The meetings: The Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on Aug. 18 reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MbS) received Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian in Jeddah.

• The agenda included bilateral relations, opportunities for future cooperation, and regional and international developments. SPA also noted that Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and new...