Saudi Arabia floats non-aggression pact with Iran modelled on Helsinki accords

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By bnm Gulf bureau May 15, 2026

Saudi Arabia is discussing with allies the idea of a non-aggression pact between Middle Eastern states and Iran following the conclusion of the US-Israeli military operation against the Islamic Republic, Financial Times reported on May 15, citing Western diplomats.

Riyadh is examining the 1975 Helsinki Final Act, signed by the United States, European countries, the Soviet Union and its allies during the Cold War to reduce tensions, as a possible template for the proposed regional framework.

Diplomatic sources said many European governments have backed the Saudi initiative and are urging Persian Gulf states to join the discussion. European officials view such a format as a means of lowering the risk of renewed conflict while offering Tehran security guarantees.

The Helsinki accords, signed on August 1, 1975 in the Finnish capital by 35 states including the Soviet Union, United States, Canada and most European countries, concluded the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe.

While not a legally binding treaty, the document became one of the central instruments of détente during the Cold War and laid the groundwork for the establishment of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

The Saudi initiative comes after a 40-day conflict in which the United States and Israel conducted military strikes against Iran. The campaign disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, sent Brent crude prices sharply higher and triggered widespread airspace closures across the Persian Gulf.

Saudi Arabia restored diplomatic ties with Iran in March 2023 under a China-brokered agreement, after a seven-year rupture that began with the storming of the Saudi embassy in Tehran in 2016. The rapprochement has gained renewed momentum as Gulf states seek to insulate their economies from further regional shocks.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately accused the United Arab Emirates of being an "active partner" in the US-Israeli campaign during the BRICS foreign ministers' meeting in New Delhi on May 14, alleging Emirati territory had been used to launch strikes against Iran.

The Gulf Cooperation Council, comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, has historically maintained varying degrees of engagement with Tehran, with Oman and Qatar serving as intermediaries in past diplomatic exchanges between Iran and the West.

Iran has not yet responded to the report with Iranian press only referring to the reports. 

Relations between the UAE and Saudi Arabia have collapsed following the 40-day war with Iran with Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar opposing the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain putting further strain on the weakened GCC structure in recent days.