DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Longtime Middle East rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia on Thursday fueled a reaffirmed need for stability in the region, after a seven-year rift in which they agreed to continue. By officially restoring diplomatic relations, we have taken another important step towards reconciliation.
The deal was reached in Beijing during talks between Iran’s and Saudi Arabia’s foreign ministers, a month after China negotiated its first reconciliation deal between the two regional powers.
The latest findings further reduce the likelihood of armed conflict between rivals, both direct and proxy conflicts in the region. It could help diplomats in their efforts to end the long war in Yemen, a conflict in which both Iran and Saudi Arabia are deeply entrenched.
Thursday’s announcement also marks another diplomatic victory for China as the Gulf Arab states realize the United States is slowly withdrawing from the wider region. The Saudi state news agency delivered a brief message about the talks, saying that “discussions were held on ways to improve mutual relations and cooperation in many areas” and that both sides would “strengthen security, stability and prosperity.”
Thursday’s meeting in Beijing was the first formal meeting of senior diplomats from both countries since the kingdom cut ties with Iran after protesters invaded a Saudi diplomat’s post in 2016. rice field. A few days ago, Saudi Arabia executed a prominent Shia cleric along with 46 of him, sparking demonstrations.
Strengthening ties shows that “regional countries have the will and ability to take the lead” in maintaining peace, Mao said at the briefing.
She said China is ready to help the two sides maintain good relations and called on the international community to help Middle Eastern countries resolve their differences.
“The tactics of colonial rule that foster contradiction, alienation and division should be rejected by the people of the world,” she said. Reopening the embassy would be a big step forward, but the extent of reconciliation could depend on peace efforts in Yemen.
Saudi Arabia has also gone deep into Iran’s nuclear program, which has made significant progress since the United States unilaterally withdrew from pacts with world powers in 2015 to curb Iran’s nuclear activities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions.
Tim Lenderking, the Biden administration’s special envoy to Yemen, told a think tank audience in Washington earlier this week, “From our conversations with the Saudis, we know they are monitoring the Yemeni space. ” he said.
“If Iran wants to show that it really wants to end the conflict, it will stop smuggling arms to the Houthis in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.”
Lender King cited Iran’s support for the ongoing ceasefire there as the latest positive sign and called on Iran to back political efforts towards a lasting peace deal.
