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The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia tweeted on Tuesday that Blinken and Prince Faisal bin Farhan discussed the challenge posed by Iran’s nuclear program and its destabilizing behavior in the region, and opportunities for greater cooperation on regional issues.

Blinken also underscored the importance of international support for Ukraine as it defends its sovereignty and territorial integrity, stressing the need for a global response to the food security crisis resulting from the Russian invasion of the country.

Relations between Washington and Riyadh have been relatively cool since President Joe Biden took office because of several policies he adopted, including his decision to revive the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran and less military support for Saudi Arabia. 

On Monday, Blinken condemned the "unjustified seizure" of two Greek-flagged vessels by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, saying "Iran's continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights and freedoms are a threat to maritime security and the global economy.” 

Iranian forces seized two Greek tankers in the Gulf on Friday, shortly after Tehran warned it would take punitive action against Athens over the confiscation of Iranian oil by the United States from a tanker held off the Greek coast.

Iranian forces seized two Greek tankers in the Gulf on Friday, shortly after Tehran warned it would take punitive action against Athens over the confiscation of Iranian oil by the United States from a tanker held off the Greek coast.

"Iran's continued harassment of vessels and interference with navigational rights and freedoms are a threat to maritime security and the global economy," Blinken said in the statement.

Blinken made the comments in a telephone call with Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, the department said.

The US and Greek diplomats called on Iran to immediately release the seized vessels, their cargoes, and their crews. Blinken said the United States stands with its NATO ally "in the face of this unjustified seizure."

Iran's state maritime body said on Saturday the crew of the two Greek tankers not been detained, and were in good health and being cared for onboard their vessels.

Greek authorities last month impounded the Iranian-flagged Pegas off Greece due to European Union sanctions. The United States later confiscated the Iranian oil cargo held onboard, Reuters reported on Thursday.

The Pegas and its Russian crew were later released, but the seizure inflamed tensions amid stalled nuclear talks between Iran and the West.

“The problem with Iran is that it is the number one terrorist propagandist in the world because both Hezbollah and the Islamic Jihad are under its responsibility and threaten Israelis all over the world,” Lapid told Israel’s Army Radio.

Israel's National Security Council also warned its citizens against travel to Turkey Monday, citing Iranian threats of revenge for the assassination last week of Revolutionary Guard colonel Hassan Sayyad-Khodaei.

Tehran has blamed Israel and vowed revenge for the killing of an officer of IRGC’ Quds Force -- responsible for operations outside Iran’s borders -- who was shot dead at the wheel of his car by two people on a motorcycle.

Earlier on Monday, Hossein Salami, the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, alleged that Israel was behind the assassination, vowing avenge for the assassination.

Iran’s Fars news agency affiliated with the IRGC published an article on Sunday profiling several Israeli businesspeople and implicitly threatening them and their families.

Lapid also said Israel is coordinating with the United States and Persian Gulf States to normalize its relations with Saudi Arabia, adding, “We believe that it is possible to have a normalization process with Saudi Arabia. It’s in our interest.”

Jerusalem and Riyadh have no official diplomatic ties, but relations have warmed in recent years, apparently against Iranian influence in the region.

On Thursday, the head of Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee Ram Ben Barak denied the country took responsibility for Sunday’s killing, following a leak to The New York Times about the assassination. 

Teheran has blamed Israel for the killing of Hassan Sayyad-Khodaei, who was shot dead at the wheel of his car by two people on a motorcycle and has vowed retaliation.

Israel's National Security Council said in a statement that Tehran could be looking to harm Israelis in Turkey and classified it as a "high-risk country."

Iran’s Fars news agency affiliated with the IRGC published an article on Sunday profiling several Israeli businesspeople and implicitly threatening them and their families.

Turkey is a popular tourist destination for Israelis and the two countries have been mending their ties after more than a decade of strained relations. Iranian intelligence has networks operating in Turkey with a history of assassinations and kidnappings of opponent who sought refuge in the neighboring country.

Israel has accused Khodaei of plotting attacks against its citizens worldwide.

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's office, which oversees intelligence agency Mossad, has declined to comment on the assassination but Bennett said on Sunday that Teheran would "pay the full price" for instigating attacks on Israelis.

With reporting by Reuters

In a statement on Sunday, a French foreign ministry spokesperson described the move as "a serious violation of international law."

"France reiterates its commitment to the rules of international law protecting the freedom of navigation and maritime safety. We call on Iran to immediately cease its actions that contravene these rules," the statement added.

The European Union also issued a statement on Sunday to express its serious concern to the Islamic Republic's authorities following the capture of the oil tankers, and called for transparency, de-escalation and a fast resolution of the issue.

Greece has also condemned Tehran's detention of the two ships as "tantamount to acts of piracy" and warned its citizens not to travel to Iran.

On Friday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard seized the tankers in helicopter-launched raids in the Persian Gulf about a week after the confiscation of Iranian oil from a tanker held off the Greek coast and its transfer to the US. 

Iran said on Saturday that the crew of two Greek tankers had not been detained and are on board their vessels.

The Greek tankers are Delta Poseidon and Prudent Warrior, and were captured near Asalouyeh off the coasts of Iran’s Bushehr Province and the Hendurabi island near Bandar Lengeh in Hormozgan province, respectively.