PanamaTimes

Thursday, Dec 26, 2024

0:00
0:00

Iran and Saudi Arabia hold first diplomatic talks in seven years, brokered by China

China brokered deal to launch Saudi-Iran rapprochement; End to rift may ease Mideast conflicts, boost security; Embassies, consulates to be reopened within two months; Tehran says the meeting was 'good, forward-looking'; Delegations to examine ways for further cooperation. Reopening of embassies and consulates to ease Middle East conflicts and boost regional security.
The foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia met in Beijing on Thursday for the first formal gathering of their top diplomats in more than seven years, after China brokered a deal to restore relations between the top regional powers.

After years of hostility that fuelled conflicts across the Middle East, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to end their diplomatic rift and reopen diplomatic missions in a significant deal facilitated by China last month.

In brief footage broadcast on Iranian state TV, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, greeted each other before sitting down side by side.

Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Gulf’s dominant Sunni Muslim and Shi’ite Muslim powers respectively, said in a joint statement they would launch arrangements to reopen embassies and consulates within the two-month period stipulated in the deal.

"The technical teams will continue coordination to examine ways of expanding cooperation including the resumption of flights and bilateral visits of official and private sector delegations and facilitating the granting of visas for the citizens of the two countries," they said.

In a tweet, Iran's Amirabdollahian said the Thursday meeting with his Saudi counterpart was "positive", adding that "the emphasis on stability and sustainable security" were among the issues agreed upon and "on the common agenda".

In March, Chinese President Xi Jinping helped broker the surprise deal in a display of Beijing's growing influence in the Middle East. China's role in the breakthrough shook up dynamics in a conflict-ridden region where the United States has for decades been the main mediator.

In a meeting with the Iranian and Saudi envoys, Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang said Beijing supports countries in the Middle East in upholding their strategic independence, getting rid of external "interference" and keeping the region's future in their own hands.

The detente between the Sunni kingdom and the revolutionary Shi’ite theocracy could help stabilise the Middle East, where the two sides have supported sectarian proxy forces that are either at daggers drawn or openly at war.

Beijing's role in brokering the rapproachment was seen by some experts as signalling a loss of influence by the United States with Saudi Arabia, amid tensions between the long-time allies over a range of issues, including human rights and Saudi oil production cuts.

CIA Director Bill Burns travelled to the kingdom to reaffirm in talks with his counterparts and national leaders decades-old intelligence cooperation, including on counterterrorism, a U.S. official said on Thursday.

The official did not disclose when Burns' visit took place. The Washington Post, which first reported it, said it was earlier this week.

REGIONAL STABILITY
Saudi Arabia cut ties with Iran in 2016 after its embassy in Tehran was stormed during a dispute between the two countries over Riyadh's execution of a Shi'ite cleric.

The relationship began worsening a year earlier, after Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates intervened in Yemen's war, where the Iran-aligned Houthi movement had ousted a Saudi-backed government and taken over the capital Sanaa.

It is unclear whether the restoration of diplomatic relations could help bolster peacemaking in Yemen, where Saudi Arabia has been in tough talks with the Houthis on a permanent ceasefire.

However, the rapprochement could mean improved security for Saudi Arabia as it pursues its vast Vision 2030 project to modernise and diversify its long oil-dependent economy. The kingdom has accused Iran of arming the Houthis, who launched missiles and drones at Saudi cities and oil facilities.

In 2019, Riyadh blamed an attack on Aramco oil facilities, which knocked out half of its oil output, directly on the Islamic Republic. Iran denied those accusations.

Tehran and Riyadh, according to the joint statement, underlined the importance of reviving a security pact signed in 2001, under which both sides agreed to cooperate to tackle terrorism, drug-smuggling and money-laundering, as well as a trade and technology pact from 1998.
Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
The Closure of the Global Engagement Center: Controversy, Claims, and Conclusions
The American Democrats Party Strives to Rise from the Ashes
Trump Nominates Kevin Marino Cabrera as Ambassador to Panama Amid Canal Dispute
Texas Congresswoman Kay Granger Located in Nursing Home Following Six Months of Inactivity
A large group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
A Democrat Congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a breakdown over "President Musk."
Argentina Defies Predictions with Record $17 Billion Trade Surplus, But Is the Growth Sustainable?
Disney's High Seas Gamble: Navigating the Waters of Cruise Expansion
The Surprising Impact of Extreme Heat on Mexico's Youth
Polarization: The Word That Unites a Divided Era
Exoneration in the Subway: The Complexities of Self-Defense and Public Safety
The Tragic Passing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Highlights Corporate Security Challenges
Global Developments: Violence in Sinaloa, Political Chaos in the Bahamas, Venezuelan Voting Disputes, and a Major UK Drug Bust
OpenAI and Anduril: Charting AI's Path in Modern Warfare
The Pardon of Hunter Biden: A Symbol of Hypocrisy
Biden Crafted the Strategy Used by Trump
South Korea's Democracy Tested: President Yoon’s Martial Law Reversal Sparks Political Reckoning
Seoul Crisis: Yoon Suk Yeol's Martial Law Blunder Triggers Political Upheaval
Generative AI's Limited Impact on Elections Highlighted by Meta
France at the Precipice: Barnier’s Administration Confronts Unprecedented No-Confidence Vote
Jaguar Unveils Electric Concept Car, Type 00
White House Defends Presidential Pardon of Hunter Biden
xAI by Elon Musk: Transforming Ambition with a $50 Billion Valuation
President-elect Donald Trump, has announced on Truth Social that Kashyap "Kash" Patel, will be the next Director of the FBI
A Historic Milestone or Risky Precedent? The Assisted Dying Bill Splits both Parliament and the Nation in England and Wales
Trump's Tariff Threat Looms Large as Trudeau Heads to Mar-a-Lago for Talks
Canada's Oil Industry Faces Uncertainty Amidst Trump's Tariff Threat
World Court to Assess Global Legal Responsibilities on Climate Change
What the Pink Elephant Test Reveals About Thought Control
Trudeau Visits Trump in Florida Amid Rising Tariff Concerns
Is Elon Musk the Unofficial President of America?
Impact of Proposed US Tariffs on Canadian Oil Exports
U.S. policymakers face a contentious debate over whether to engage with Nicolás Maduro's regime in Venezuela.
COP29's Carbon Trading Deal Faces Major Criticisms
Indian Diplomats in Canada Monitored: Government Raises Alarm
Putin Warns Trump of Ongoing Safety Concerns
Claudia Sheinbaum Challenges Trump's Migration Claims
Insights from Dostoevsky: The Impact of Self-Deception
Trump Administration Nominees Face Threats, FBI Confirms
Elon Musk Criticizes Fighter Jets, Advocates for Drone Warfare
Kim Kardashian's Social Media Activity Fuels Political Speculation
An Examination of AI's Influence on Future Work and Life
Tulsi Gabbard's Contentious Nomination for Director of National Intelligence
$100,000 Trump Watch Faces Slow Sales
Surge in Golden Visa Interest Among Americans Post-Trump Election
Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy Aim to Reduce US Federal Spending
Donald Trump nominated Linda McMahon for the position of Secretary of Education.
Russia Pledges Response Following Ukraine's Use of US Long-Range Missiles
Joe Biden Joins G20 Leaders' Photo Re-Take in Rio
Trump Plans to Reverse Biden's Fuel and EV Regulations
×