Iran: Agreement with Saudi Arabia Will Help Resolve Regional Crises, Including Yemen

Iran

March 12th, 7:58am

London, Tehran - Asharq Al-Awsat

Iranians read the headlines of Saturday morning newspapers (Reuters)

Iranian officials had various responses to the sudden resumption of relations with Saudi Arabia, despite the agreement among all that it was a positive development. Members of the parliament hoped the agreement with Riyadh would lead to a solution to the region's crises, including in Yemen, warning at the same time to return to square one. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said that reviving relations with Saudi Arabia is an essential step in the framework of stability in the region and the Gulf and boosting regional political and economic cooperation. Qalibaf reiterated the importance of respecting other states' sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs, hoping that "constructive decisions" would be adopted concerning regional issues, especially in Yemen, Palestine, and Lebanon. State-owned ISNA reported that the agreement came ten months after the fifth round of security dialogues between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Iraq and Oman. The agency pointed out that few expected progress in these negotiations, amid other developments in the issues with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreement or reports about the possible release of US-Iranian detainees through Omani mediation. ISNA noted that if all goes well, the agreement will significantly reduce regional tensions, including resolving the Yemen crisis and would provide the basis for resuming relations between several Gulf countries, including Bahrain. The rapprochement would also lead to normalizing relations with Egypt, reducing tensions in Lebanon because of its ties with Tehran, and the improvement of Syrian relations with Arab countries. However, the agency warned that if the areas and foundations of the previous measures between the two countries were not reviewed, it was possible that the relations could return to square one. It described the recent rapprochement as a positive and promising development for the two countries, the West Asian region, and the Islamic world. Still, it cautioned that the effectiveness of this agreement should not be exaggerated. The agency indicated that Iranian-Saudi relations need to establish bilateral mechanisms and pillars by boosting economic and trade cooperation and creating tangible interests. The head of the internal parliamentary committee, Mohammed Saleh Jokar, said the agreement would lead to an excellent political and economic position in the West Asian region. He said that the geostrategic location of these two countries could play an influential role at the regional and international levels. Meanwhile, the former head of the Iranian Atomic Energy Organization, Ali Akbar Salehi, indicated that the rapprochement with Saudi Arabia is appropriate to get out of the political impasse, adding that it was possible to reach an agreement without mediation and not be indebted to any party. He hoped the two parties would abide by the agreement, adding that it should be considered a good omen and would impact the revival of the nuclear deal. For his part, the director of the office of former President Hassan Rouhani, Mahmoud Vaezi, said that the agreement under China's auspices was a continuation of the negotiations that began between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Iraq and Oman. Vaezi added that the extremist attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran in January 2016 ruined the relations between the two countries and tarnished Iran's international image. Iranian media also reported the new developments, with reformist Shargh daily saying it was the end of a seven-year impasse. Kayhan newspaper, affiliated with the Iranian Supreme Leader's office, addressed the reformists, saying their advocates must learn to negotiate. Sazandegi newspaper, the mouthpiece of the faction of former President Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, said that the agreement is "a return to Rafsanjani's strategy."

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/4207461/iran-agreement-saudi-arabia-will-help-resolve-regional-crises-including-yemen