Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi said in a US television interview on Sunday that US-sponsored efforts to normalise Israeli relations with Gulf Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, “will see no success”.

In an interview with CNN, Raisi also said Iran had not said it does not want nuclear inspectors from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog in the country.

Israel has moved closer to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco following a US-driven diplomatic initiative in 2020 which pushed for normalization.

Establishing ties with Saudi Arabia would be the grand prize for Israel and change the geopolitics of the Middle East. The oil power is home to some of Islam’s holiest sites.