DUBAI, October 10. /TASS/. The countries of the Middle East should unite to ensure the security of their region, which is being dragged into a catastrophe by Israel, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said.

"Israeli regime is dragging the whole region into a catastrophe. Insight, wisdom, courage and cooperation are what the region needs to overcome this challenging time," Araghchi wrote on his X social media page following his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud in Riyadh on the evening of October 9.

During his visit to the kingdom, the Iranian foreign minister held a meeting with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. "Together, Iran and Saudi Arabia can contribute to security and stability in the region, but this requires a higher level of political will. I am glad we have taken the first steps on a long path with my Saudi counterpart," Araghchi said following the talks.

Reuters earlier reported, citing a senior Iranian official, that Tehran had warned the Persian Gulf countries against allowing their airspace or military bases to be used by Israel if it decided to retaliate to Iran’s recent missile strike.

Araghchi, according to the agency's source, planned to raise the issue during his visit to Riyadh.

On the evening of October 1, Iran launched a massive missile attack on Israel as a response for the killings of key leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Tehran claims that 90% of the missiles hit their intended targets, while Israel says that Iran only launched 180 missiles and most of them were intercepted. The Israeli General Staff vowed to "choose the right moment" to surprise Iran with a counter-attack, while Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that the attacks on Israel would only be expanded.