Iran's Khamenei terms normalisation with Israel a 'losing' bet: State media

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's supreme leader, said that countries that are seeking to normalise ties with Israel "are betting on a losing horse", state media reported on Tuesday. Though Khamenei did not name any specific country, his words have come just when it is expected that Israel might normalise ties with Saudi Arabia, the regional rival of Iran.

"The definite position of the Islamic Republic is that countries that make the gamble of normalisation with Israel will lose. They are betting on a losing horse," Khamenei said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shot back at Khamenei's remarks and said that Iranian efforts to stop countries in the region from establishing ties with Israel will fail. He cited agreements Israel signed with Arab nations in 2020.

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"Just as Iran hasn't prevented us from achieving the Abraham Accords, Iran will also not prevent us from expanding the circle of peace for the benefit of the citizens of Israel, the people of the region and all of humanity."

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said in an interview recently that a deal on relations with Israel was getting closer by the day and that Netanyahu and US President Joe Biden held a long-awaited meeting on the matter.

Last month, the Israeli foreign minister said that a framework US-brokered deal for ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia may be in place by next year.

If ties between Israel and Saudi Arabia normalise, it will result in a dramatic change in West Asia as it will bring both countries together along with the US with which both have strong ties. This may put Iran in an interesting position.

Four Arab states have formalised ties with Israel in pacts known as the Abraham Accords -- the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

(With inputs from agencies)

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