Saudi Arabia Expands Defense Industry and Leads Iran Diplomacy

Saudi Arabia is simultaneously advancing its domestic military industrialization and leading regional diplomatic efforts to prevent military escalation. Joseph Rank, CEO of Lockheed Martin Saudi Arabia, announced that Saudi participation in the company's global supply chains has quadrupled over the past year. This shift includes the production of THAAD launcher components in Jeddah and interceptor missile canisters in Riyadh, supporting the Vision 2030 goal to localize over 50% of military spending. Rank also confirmed that the F-35 fighter jet deal has passed the U.S. congressional notification stage.

On the diplomatic front, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud led a delegation to Tehran to meet with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and National Security Council Secretary Mohsen Rezaei. The delegation included representatives from the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, specifically Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir and Türkiye's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. The mission aims to open dialogue channels and support mediation initiatives led by Pakistan and Qatar.

Complementing these efforts, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani held a phone call with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud to reaffirm Qatar's support for Saudi sovereignty and regional stability.