09/04/2023 19:00 (act. 09/04/2023 19:10)
A glimmer of hope in war and famine-stricken Yemen ©APA/AFP
After seven years of diplomatic ice age, Saudi Arabia and Iran are making progress in normalizing their relations. A Saudi Arabian delegation has been in talks in Iran since Saturday about reopening the kingdom’s diplomatic missions there. Tehran, in turn, announced visits of delegations to Saudi Arabia. A delegation from Saudi Arabia also arrived in Yemen for peace talks with the Iranian-backed Houthis.
Regional powers Saudi Arabia and Iran have been competing for influence in the Middle East for years. One of the most important arenas of this struggle is the civil war in Yemen, in which Shiite Houthi rebels, with Iranian support, are fighting the troops of Sunni President Abd Rabbo Mansour, who has fled into exile. Riyadh, in turn, leads a military coalition with the United Arab Emirates that supports the government of Yemen.
A Saudi Arabian delegation arrived in Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, “to talk about progress in establishing peace in Yemen”, as a Yemeni diplomat in the Gulf region put it. The information was confirmed by a second diplomat.
An Omani delegation also arrived in Yemen on Saturday, a source at Sanaa airport said. It was a new armistice. Oman has gained a reputation as a low-key mediator in Gulf conflicts, which often involve Iran.
Last year, Yemen’s warring parties agreed to a six-month ceasefire. However, the agreement expired in early October and was not renewed. However, it is largely fulfilled.
Iran and Saudi Arabia are competing for influence not only in Yemen, but also in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq. Almost a month ago, the two regional powers signed an agreement with China aimed at resuming diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh.
Those ties were suspended for seven years after protesters in Iran attacked Saudi Arabian diplomatic missions following the execution of a Shiite cleric in Riyadh. The agreement signed on March 10 through the mediation of China provides for the two countries to resume their economic ties, in addition to rekindling relations.
Foreign ministers from both countries spoke in Beijing last Thursday. On Saturday, according to the Saudi news agency SPA, a “technical delegation” from the kingdom arrived in Iran for a visit lasting several days. In Tehran, the delegation spoke with the head of protocol at the Itamaraty. It was the reopening of the embassy and consulates. The head of protocol promised the delegation any support.
For his part, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Enayati announced on Sunday on Iranian state television that two Iranian delegations would travel to Saudi Arabia by Friday, one to the capital Riyadh and the other to Jeddah. The reopening of diplomatic missions in the kingdom must be prepared.
The rapprochement between Sunni-Muslim-majority Saudi Arabia, the world’s biggest oil exporter, and Shia-majority Iran, which is under Western sanctions over its nuclear program, has the potential to reshape the balance of power in a region scarred by decades of violence. and restlessness.
The deal was also a diplomatic success for Chinese President Xi Jinping, who is seeking a stronger global political role for his country. Internationally, the agreement had largely positive reactions. However, China’s success in mediating between Iran and Saudi Arabia calls into question the US role as a traditional mediator in the Middle East.