29 Mar 2024
Saturday 21 January 2017 - 10:14
Story Code : 247732

How Trump's win, Aleppo victory could push Saudi Arabia into Iran's embrace

Sputnik- There are certain preconditions for Iran and Saudi Arabia ending their longstanding rivalry and teaming up to settle regional crises in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, political analyst Seyed Hadi Afghahi told Sputnik.


Donald Trump's win inthe US presidential election and the brilliant military victories ofthe Russian-backed Syrian Arab Army (SAA) inAleppo could prompt Saudi Arabia totone downits assertive rhetoric and seek compromise withregional players, former Iranian diplomat and political analyst Seyed Hadi Afghahi suggested inhis interview with Sputnik Persian.


Citing Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, the political analyst noted that Tehran and Riyadh could team upto resolve ongoing crises inSyria, Yemen and Bahrain.
"I do not see any reason why Iran and Saudi Arabia should have hostile policies towardseach other. We can infact work together toput an end tothe miserable conditions ofthe people inSyria, Yemen, Bahrain and elsewhere inthe region," Mohammad Javad Zarif told the World Economic Forum Wednesday, as quoted byReuters.


There are certain preconditions forthe potential thaw, Afghahi believes.

According tothe former diplomat, atthe end ofthe day, member states ofthe Cooperation Council forthe Arab States ofthe Gulf (GCC), which includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), have realized the seriousness ofthe situation.

On the one hand, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies have abandoned their hope totopple Bashar al-Assad; onthe other, Riyadh has been heavily struck bythe slump inoil prices and the Gulf's stock-market crash.
"The brilliant victories ofthe Syrian [Arab] Army and its allies, the liberation ofAleppo, aswell asTrump's harsh rhetoric towardSaudi Arabia and its regional allies all ofthe aboveprompted the GCC countries tothink seriously abouttheir position," Afghahi underscored.


He noted that the GCC leaders fear that a new republican system could eventually replace their monarchies.
"Therefore, the GCC [leaders] have decided that it is necessary toease tensions throughdialogue and resolve their conflicts [in the region]," he pointed out.


Afghani noted that a heated debate aboutthe fate ofthe region is going onamong the GCC countries and that some ofthem, particularly Kuwait, have sent a number of "requests" toTehran. According tothe former diplomat, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani responds tothese requests.
However, there is still a long way togo forIran and Saudi Arabia tobury the hatchet, the political analyst underscored.


A dtente betweenTehran and Riyadh will require certain efforts aswell assincerity and political will, he said, envisioning that Oman and Kuwait aswell asnon-regional influential powers such asRussia could play an important role asmediators.


Citing Zarif and Rouhani, Afghahi underscored that Iran is open todialogue withSaudi Arabia and its Gulf allies. He recalled that Tehran has repeatedly called uponRiyadh tosolve regional disputes viadiplomatic means. Unfortunately, the Saudi leadership turned a deaf ear toIran's peace initiatives and continued tofund extremists, thus far creating opportunities foran upsurge interrorism inthe region, Afghani remarked.


However, this policy has failed, and backfired atRiyadh, the political analyst highlighted, pointing tothe fact that Saudi Arabia will eventually face a financial crisis.

Echoing Zarif, the former diplomat stressed that Iran and Saudi Arabia have a success story ofmutually beneficial collaboration.
"Iran and Saudi Arabia were able toactually stop impeding the process ofthe presidential election inLebanon. We have a success story," Zarif said inDavos onWednesday.


Afghahi specified that Tehran and Riyadh have recently managed toreach a compromise onthe presidential election inLebanon. As a result, Saudi-backed Saad Hariri assumed the post ofPrime Minister afterMichel Aoun was elected President ofLebanon.

According tothe political analyst, Iran and Saudi Arabia may use this precedent asa starting point fortheir collaboration onSyria duringthe upcoming peace conference inKazakhstan's capital Astana.
"Therefore, I can say that now the conditions forbilateral dialogue betweenTehran and Riyadh onestablishing relations and resolving regional crises, are more favorable thanbefore," Afghahi underscored.



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