The two Mideast rivals Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions in a major diplomatic breakthrough brokered by China.
Top security officials from Tehran and Riyadh held four days of talks from Monday in Beijing, with Iran, Saudi Arabia, and China signing a joint statement in a ceremony on March 10.
“Victory of dialogue and peace”
“Both sides have displayed sincerity,” he said. “China fully supports this agreement,” said Wang Yi, China’s top diplomat. He also offered “wholehearted congratulations” to the two countries.
In a statement on its website, the Chinese foreign ministry quoted Wang Yi as saying the agreement represented “a victory of dialogue and peace”.
In response to the initiative of Chinese President Xi Jinping, the three countries reached an agreement that includes “to resume diplomatic relations between them and re-open their embassies and missions within a period not exceeding two months, and the agreement includes their affirmation of the respect for the sovereignty of states and the non-interference in internal affairs of states,” according to a statement by Saudi state news agency.
Iranian news agency IRNA also reported that “As a result of the talks, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies … within two months”.
Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency quoted Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, as calling the talks “clear, transparent, comprehensive and constructive.”
“Removing misunderstandings and the future-oriented views in relations between Tehran and Riyadh will definitely lead to improving regional stability and security, as well as increasing cooperation among Persian Gulf nations and the world of Islam for managing current challenges,” Shamkhani said.
World welcomes Saudi-Iran rapprochement
UN — The United Nations welcomed the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement and thanked China for its role. “Good neighborly relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia are essential for the stability of the Gulf region,” U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said at U.N. headquarters.
US — The U.S. also welcomed “any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “We support any effort to de-escalate tensions there,” White House spokesman John Kirby said of the agreement. “De-escalation and diplomacy together with deterrence are key pillars of the policy President Biden outlined during his visit to the region last year,” he added.
UAE — The UAE welcomed the agreement and said it “valued” China’s role in the negotiations. “We believe in the importance of positive communication and dialogue between the countries of the region to consolidate the concept of good neighborliness,” senior government official and advisor to the UAE president Anwar Gargash said.
Qatar — Qatar’s prime minister and foreign affairs minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani welcomed the news. Al-Thani also expressed Qatar’s aspiration that this step “contribute to enhancing security and stability in the region, and meet the aspirations of the peoples of the two countries for the benefit of the whole region.”
Oman — Oman “welcomed the trilateral statement on resumption of diplomatic ties between Riyadh and Tehran”. Omani foreign minister Badr Albusaidi said “This is a win-win for everyone and will benefit regional and global security” and added that “We hope in the longer term there’s also potential for increasing economic benefits for all”.
What experts are saying?
Several experts said the China-brokered deal has compromised the credibility of the United States as a peacemaker in the region.
Dr. Annelle Sheline, Middle East Research Fellow at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, called the agreement significant, saying “It shows the role that China could play in fostering a Middle East defined more by cooperation and trade and less by conflict and weapons sales, as has been the norm under US dominance”. She said on Twitter: “At the same time, the Saudis have signaled to the US that they want a firm security guarantee before normalizing relations with Israel, an outcome that would provoke Tehran”.
China is offering an alternative vision for the region
— Dr. Annelle Sheline (@AnnelleSheline) March 10, 2023
To compete, the US should work on promoting peace & prosperity for the people, not just weapons sales & security assistance for autocrats & their militaries
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Ahmed Aboudouh, a nonresident fellow with the Middle East Programs at the Atlantic Council, says that the agreement offers a glimpse into Beijing’s objective to become a regional actor.
“For China, the agreement solidifies its legitimacy as a heavyweight diplomatic mediator able to resolve the most antagonistic geostrategic competition in the region. It could create the first conditions for a shift in the strategic balance in the context of rivalry with the United States in the Gulf.” He added: “China’s ambitions to position itself as a credible peacemaker have a broader scope covering conflicts in Syria, Libya, and Yemen, especially after this agreement. This could be problematic in Washington.”
Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute, also questioned the role of the United States as a mediator. “The US is increasingly taking sides in regional conflicts, becoming co-belligerent in regional conflicts which makes it very difficult for the US to play a peacemaking role”.
Parsi said: “While many in Washington will view China’s emerging role as a mediator in the Middle East as a threat, the reality is that a more stable Middle East where the Iranians and Saudis aren’t at each other’s throats also benefits the United States”.