Baghdad: Iraq has invited the Arab enemies of Iranian Bay and Tehran to the top in Baghdad with the aim of calming tensions that have taken them to approach open conflicts in recent years.
Officials said the meeting, which will also discuss war in Yemen, Lebanon’s collapse and regional water crisis, can take steps towards recovery of Saudi-Iran relations even though they have not sent what the representation they will send.
The strain between the long-term enemies of Saudi Arabia and Iran worsened after the 2019 attack on Saudi oil plants which briefly knocked down half of Saudi oil production.
Riyadh blamed the attack on Iran, Tehran’s accusation denied.
The two countries were in line with rival forces who fought in Yemen and the bonds were cut off in 2016 – even though they continued direct talks in Iraq in April this year.
Saudi Arabia, worried that the Biden government has revived nuclear talks that can cause sanction easing to Tehran, seeing involvement as a way to load tensions without leaving security concerns over Iranian attacks and allies.
Iraqi officials hoped that Iran’s new hardline president, the Ebrahim Relisi will attend the meeting, planned for Saturday, and expects the minister from Bay countries including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates will also come.
“Even if we unite foreign ministers at one table can be considered as a breakthrough to end the tension between Iran and the Bay Arabs,” said an official to the Prime Minister of Iraq, Mustafa al-Kadhimi.
Talksa politicians are directly close to the Premier Said Iraq, who host private meetings earlier this year between Saudi and Iranian officials, have received “positive signals” from Tehran and Gulf countries that are ready for direct talks.
Three other regional sources said they expected another round of direct negotiations between Iranian and Saudi officials on the sidelines of the Summit, even though they did not expect a breakthrough.
“We always welcome improvement of bonds with regional countries such as Saudi Arabia, and that is the priority of our President’s Foreign Policy.
Does this happen in Iraq next week, I seriously doubt it,” said one source, a senior Iranian officials.
Riyadh and Tehran began direct talks in April to contain tensions while global forces held negotiations to revive the 2015 nuclear pact with Iran, which was not Saudi Arabia and its allies opposed not to handle Tehran’s regional missiles and proxies.
Saudi Arabia has said he wanted to see “verified actions” from Iran.
Earlier this month, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said “Iran” Iran acted negatively around the Middle East, including in Yemen and Lebanon and in regional waters.
These efforts can be improved as Arabian Gulf countries, which have long leaned on Washington to ensure their security, taking into account the worries of its nuclear talks updated with Tehran and the end of a chaotic in the war of two decades in Afghanistan.
So far Kuwait is the only Gulf country to confirm its participation, send the prime minister.
Egypt and Jordan, both allies of the Bay Arab Monarchy, have been invited to the Baghdad meeting together with Turkey and French President Emmanuel Macron.
“The prospect of regional conflict, coupled with their perceptions of Washington is unreliable, has …
encouraged Saudi and emiratis to pursue a limited de-escalation, tactical, bilateral with Tehran,” said the international crisis group in a report published on Tuesday .