Saudi Arabia and Iran will exchange ambassadors for the first time in 7 years. And that’s a remarkable diplomatic success for China, which hosted the talks last week. “China is increasingly interested in geopolitical issues,” says foreign affairs commentator Bernard Hammelburg.
The two regional rivals have agreed that their foreign ministers will meet within two months to reopen diplomatic missions closed in 2016. According to the Financial Times, Iran’s foreign ministry said embassies would soon reopen in Tehran and Riyadh, while i general consulates will be transferred to Mashhad and Jeddah.
Religion
“They’ve wanted to do it for a long time,” says Hammelburg, “and there have been several attempts, but the relationship has been seriously disrupted by the execution of a Shiite cleric in Saudi Arabia.” Faith is a major and recurring obstacle in Iranian-Saudi relations. Iran is considered the birthplace of the Shia variant of Islam, in Saudi Arabia the stricter Sunni and Wahhabi variants are professed.
Chinese geopolitics
‘This goes very deep and it’s difficult to bring those countries together. China unexpectedly succeeded.” According to Hammelburg, China has several reasons to act as a peace broker between the two hereditary enemies. Firstly, Beijing wants to profile itself more emphatically on the geopolitical scene. “China is increasingly interested in geopolitical issues.” So it’s no mean feat the driving prowess China displays here.
Oil
A second reason is more practical: China needs oil, which comes largely from Saudi Arabia, but also from Iran. Despite the US boycott of Iranian oil, China has always continued to import. And finally, China also wants an end to the bloody war in Yemen, where Tehran and Riyadh are fighting each other in a so-called ‘proxy war’.
‘China is increasingly interested in geopolitical issues’
Embassies will then be re-staffed and there will be more consultations on regional issues. Both countries also regularly clash in other countries such as Lebanon and Syria. And last but not least, they are both important members of OPEC. “Iran has been kept out of it for a while, but it’s important for the Saudis that they get involved again.”
Which will be a complicating factor: Iran is groaning under US, European and UN sanctions. ‘I get the impression the Saudis think this should stop. And that they’re happy to help out there.’
Source: BNR
Sharon Rock is an author and journalist who writes for 24 News Globe. She has a passion for learning about different cultures and understanding the complexities of the world. With a talent for explaining complex global issues in an accessible and engaging way, Sharon has become a respected voice in the field of world news journalism.
