Musaed al-Aiban
Saudi minister of state and national security adviser; signed the 2023 Beijing deal with Iran.
When Saudi Arabia's defence minister met Iran's security chief in Tehran on 26 October 2026, The Channel echoed Musaed al-Aiban's 2023 Beijing talks, where security chiefs, not diplomats, restored Saudi-Iranian relations.
Last refreshed: 29 October 2026
Is the security-chief channel that reopened Saudi-Iranian ties being used again?
Timeline for Musaed al-Aiban
Mentioned in: Rezaei hosts Mecca pact chiefs in Tehran
Iran Conflict 2026Background
Musaed al-Aiban is Saudi Arabia's national security adviser and a minister of state in the Cabinet. He headed the Saudi delegation at the Beijing talks of 6 to 10 March 2023 and signed the joint statement, with Iran's Ali Shamkhani and China's Wang Yi, that restored relations between Riyadh and Tehran.
In March 2025 he sat with US and Ukrainian officials at talks in Jeddah, a sign of The Kingdom's use of its security establishment as a mediator.
His Beijing channel set the pattern for Saudi-Iranian contact through security officials. The 26 October 2026 Tehran meeting followed it: Riyadh sent its defence minister, alongside Pakistan's Army chief and Turkey's intelligence chief, to meet Mohsen Rezaei. Reports of the 26 October meeting did not list al-Aiban among those present.
Who is Musaed al-Aiban?
Who negotiated the 2023 Saudi-Iran deal?
Written with AI from Lowdown's published reporting. Not individually reviewed by an editor. Updated 29 October 2026. Editorial standards.