Saudi – Iranian Dialogue
Written by Nasser Kandil,
Neither Iran charged Kuwait with the mediation in the Yemeni crisis, nor did the Iranians attend the side scenes of the negotiations, but the Saudi officers did. Iran did not negotiate in Muscat or elsewhere with delegations that represent the government of Mansour Hadi, but the Saudis negotiated with Al Houthis there. The Americans did the same in charging Kuwait with the mediation and in the negotiation with Al Houthis away from any mediation. Neither Iran sent its Foreign Minister to Kuwait with a message to the Gulf Cooperation Council for a call to open Iranian Gulf dialogue, but the opposite has happened, nor it provided the cover for the Prime Minister Saad Al-Hariri to take the initiative of adopting the nomination of the General Michael Aoun for presidency, but Saudi Arabia did as was said by the Lebanese Interior Minister Nuhad Al-Mashnouk through his talk about a major international regional settlement that paved the way for the arrival of the General Aoun to presidency. Furthermore the joining of Jordan to Astana was not due to Iranian encouragement, knowing that Iran is one of the sponsors of Astana, but surely Jordan has not taken this step without US Saudi encouragement, and the factions which it pledged to join them to ceasing-fire and the fight against Al Nusra and ISIS are factions that led by Washington and funded by Riyadh.
Tehran is aware that Saudi Arabia which is waging the choice of escalation in Bahrain and Yemen and waiting the improvement of its situation there, before entering into negotiation with Iran needs this negotiation as an interest and for its presence, while Iran wants this negotiation in order to keep the region away from further attrition, destruction, extremism, sects, and risks. Tehran is aware that Riyadh has decided in all the issues which form titles of dispute to follow the choice of the negotiation, but it preferred to stay behind the side scenes, so it chose the Prime Minister Al-Hariri in Lebanon, Jordan in Syria and Kuwait in the Gulf. But Tehran is aware that the time of the direct negotiation has not come yet. Saudi Arabia is waiting till summer to know what will the new US President do in the round of the escalation against Iran and to know whether it is mere a talk in the media or it is a sign of confrontation that can be based on. During this time it will do its best to resolve what can be resolved in Yemen and Bahrain and to improve the conditions of the negotiation hoping to avoid the loss in them, just for that Tehran is aware of the inevitability of the maturity of the choice of negotiation as far as it is aware that it has not matured yet.
The Iranian response by the Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif is through the warm welcoming, but the caution concerning the Kuwaiti call for Iranian Gulf dialogue that stems from this assessment, he indicated that “till our neighbors are convinced that we are in need of common cooperation ,with reference to history and geography and the multi common issues between our people and the common threats which we face, then the region will have a real partner such as Iran”.
He stressed that “Iran does not want to threaten the stability of the region, and that the danger in any country threatens the whole region” he hoped that” the message which was sent by the Prince of Kuwait Al Sheikh Sabah Al Ahamad Al-Sabah to Tehran on behalf of himself and the rest of the rulers of the Gulf Cooperation Council came from a true desire”. Showing that “ this desire will be met by a real interaction by Iran also”. He pointed out that “this will be according to the facts and the future vision, provided that, if everyone recognizes that we must go ahead toward different future”.
Waiting for the Saudi summer to see the Iranian reaction.
Translated by Lina Shehadeh,