Sputnik - Commenting on the latest twist in the diplomatic row in the Persian Gulf, this time between Kuwait and Iran, Iranian political analysts spoke to Sputnik Iran, revealing who�s really behind this new development and which of the two countries will suffer the most from the consequences.

On Thursday, Kuwait sent a diplomatic note to�Iran's embassy stating that the office of�military and cultural attaches would be closed down. The note also said that 15 Iranian diplomats, including Ambassador Alireza Enayati, would have to�leave the country within�45 days, leaving only four Iranian diplomats in�Kuwait.

Kuwait's acting information minister, Sheikh Mohammad al-Mubarak al-Sabah, said in�a statement that the move was taken in "accordance with�diplomatic norms and in�abidance with�the Vienna conventions with�regards to�its relationship with�the Islamic Republic of�Iran."

According to�mass media reports, the moves were made following�the conviction of�the members of�Al Abdali terror cell, whose Kuwaiti members were accused of�alleged intelligence contacts with�Iran and Hezbollah, a Lebanese Shiite militant group.

The Ministry of�Foreign Affairs of�Iran has responded by�summoning the Kuwaiti charge d'affaires. While rejecting the accusations, Iran has said that the measures taken by�Kuwaiti officials are regrettable, given that the existing tensions in�the region are now in�a critical condition.

"We expect Kuwait to�act rationally instead of�responding to�pressures and worsening the tensions," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi was quoted as�saying by�the Mehr news agency.
In an interview with�Sputnik Iran, Sabbah Zanganeh, a political commentator, Iranian envoy to�the Organization of�Islamic Cooperation and former adviser to�the Iranian foreign minister, said that the moves of�the Kuwaiti authorities have been evidently fuelled by�pressure from�Saudi Arabia.


The Iranian authorities have not been informed of�any details of�the ongoing investigation in�Kuwait and any charges which have been put forward. Neither the Iranian legal representative, now any independent Iranian experts have been allowed to�study the case in�more detail.

The Iranian political analyst recalled that there have already been groundless and unsubstantiated accusations made against�Iran, alleging that it� played a major role in�liberating the territories of�Kuwait from�the occupation of�Saddam Hussein by�supporting and mobilizing hundreds of�thousands of�Kuwaiti residents, similar to�the current accusations against�Tehran.

"In due course, Saddam Hussein made a very ambitious offer to�Iran to�capture not only Kuwait, but�the territories of�other countries of�the Persian Gulf. However Iran had never had a goal of�the occupation of�the territories of�sovereign states and the destruction of�the system of�government of�these countries," Sabbah Zanganeh told Sputnik.

"Hence this demarche of�Kuwait is baseless and is fuelled purely by�the pressure of�Saudi Arabia, which does not want to�put up�with the idea that the Arab states of�the Persian Gulf, such as�Kuwait and Qatar, have good relations with�Iran. Saudi Arabia is exerting strong pressure on�the Kuwaiti authorities and its mass media," he added.
The political commentator further explained that until�recently, Kuwait has been pursuing a very reasonable and moderate foreign policy; however it has come under�strong pressure from�the Saudis. Where Qatar was the first target of�the Saudis, now it is Kuwait's turn. The Saudis cannot tolerate Kuwait's key positions in�the settlement of�the Qatari crisis, in�the negotiations of�the Yemeni issue and in�the issue of�diplomatic correspondence with�Iran on�behalf of�the Cooperation Council for�the Arab States of�the Persian Gulf. Kuwait, unlike�Qatar, is to�a far lesser extent an independent state.


In a separate comment on�the issue, Iranian political analyst and expert on�Middle East and Iranian-Arab relations, former editor-in-chief of�the Iranian news agency Mehr News, Hassan Hanizadeh told Sputnik that Kuwait will be the country to�suffer from�its demarche, while it will have no impact on�the economic environment of�Iran.
"These actions of�Kuwait, aimed at�decreasing diplomatic relationship with�Iran, have been evidently dictated by�Saudi Arabia and the US. As we remember, during�his trip to�the Middle East, Donald Trump had an important meeting with�the leaders of�six Arab states of�the Persian Gulf in�Riyadh. Trump demanded that these states cut their diplomatic relations with�Iran or at�least lower the level of�their ties. Qatar is the first to�be punished for�disobeying this order," he told Sputnik.


However, he further elaborated, Qatar held firm and defied pressure from�Saudi Arabia and the US. Kuwait, in�turn, is a sparsely populated country, compared to�its neighbors, and prefers not to�oppose the pressure of�the US and the Saudis. The danger is that this demarche could spark tensions in�the region between�the Arab states and Iran even further.


For the last 30 years Iran has been maintaining good and friendly relations with�Kuwait, avoiding any hostilities. Moreover, in�1990, during�the attack of�Saddam Hussein on�Kuwait, the Iranian embassy in�Kuwait sheltered over�a hundred women and young ladies, wives and daughters of�Kuwaiti emir and his brothers, on�its territory from�Hussein's troops and then safely sent them to�Iran for�temporary relocation.

Unfortunately, the current Kuwaiti authorities have forgotten this and are putting forward baseless accusations against�Iran under�pressure from�Saudi Arabia, the political analyst said.
"Kuwait will be the only one to�suffer from�this demarche. Iran is a large and strong country, which will easily overcome this crisis. Kuwait is not a high priority in�the Iranian foreign policy and the lowering of�the level of�diplomatic relations between�the two countries won't have any impact on�Iran," Hassan Hanizadeh told Sputnik.


He explained that there are no deep trade-economic relations between�the two states, only political and cultural. Hence the demarche won't have any impact on�the economy of�Iran.

Commenting on�the conviction of�the members of�the Al Abdali terror cell, and the accusation of�the members in�espionage on�behalf of�Iran, Hassan Hanizadeh noted that Iran would not spend any resources attempting to�glean intelligence from�Kuwait, hence all the accusations are illogical and unreasonable.

"Kuwait is not the type of�country for�Iran to�spend its intelligence resources on. It has neither a strong army nor any objects of�infrastructure, such as�a nuclear power plant, for�example. It is not of�any particular value to�Iranian intelligence services. Hence, any accusations of�espionage are absurd and unreasonable," he told Sputnik.
The political analyst said that scenario, which has got the name of "Al Abdali process" had been planned beforehand by�the Americans and the Saudis. One of�its aims is to�clear the way for�the breakup of�ties between�Iran and the member states of�the Cooperation Council for�the Arab States of�the Persian Gulf.


Among other possible reasons of�the Kuwaiti demarche, Hassan Hanizadeh suggested that it could be the discontent of�the fast growing Shia Muslim population of�the country. The Shia Muslim community makes over�40% of�the total population of�the country. And the Kuwaiti authorities don't want them to�set their eyes on�Iran. Thus they are trying to�lessen Iran's influence on�their country, he concluded.