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Arab, Gulf Countries Welcome Saudi-Iran Agreement, US Skeptical of Tehran’s Commitment

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Minister of State and national security adviser of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban pose for pictures during a meeting in Beijing, China March 10, 2023. (Reuters)
Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Minister of State and national security adviser of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban pose for pictures during a meeting in Beijing, China March 10, 2023. (Reuters)
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Arab, Gulf Countries Welcome Saudi-Iran Agreement, US Skeptical of Tehran’s Commitment

Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Minister of State and national security adviser of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban pose for pictures during a meeting in Beijing, China March 10, 2023. (Reuters)
Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Central Foreign Affairs Commission, Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, and Minister of State and national security adviser of Saudi Arabia Musaad bin Mohammed Al Aiban pose for pictures during a meeting in Beijing, China March 10, 2023. (Reuters)

Arab, Gulf and world countries welcomed on Friday the announcement that Saudi Arabia and Iran had agreed to restore diplomatic relations.

A tripartite statement issued by Saudi Arabia, Iran, and China said Riyadh and Tehran agreed to reopen their embassies and restore representation within a period of two months. They also agreed to activate the security cooperation agreement between them.

Oman’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed Muscat's hope that this step would contribute to strengthening the pillars of security and stability in the region and consolidate positive and constructive cooperation that benefits all peoples of the region and world.

Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani held a telephone call with his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah.

Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar welcomed the agreement reached between Saudi Arabia and Iran to restore diplomatic ties, reported Qatar’s state news agency (QNA).

Doha looks forward to the step boosting security and stability in the region and meeting the aspirations of the peoples in Saudi Arabia, Iran and the whole region.

Iraq’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to start a "new chapter" of diplomatic relations between the two neighbors.

It highlighted the Iraqi government’s efforts to that end after it had hosted dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Baghdad.

The government said the dialogue had laid down strong foundations for the meetings between them that followed in Oman and then China that culminated in the signing of the agreement to restore ties.

The agreement will mark the start of a "new stage" that will have a positive impact on regional cooperation.

Anwar Gargash, Diplomatic Adviser to United Arab Emirates President, said: "We welcome the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran to resume diplomatic relations, and we hail the Chinese role in this regard."

"The UAE believes in the importance of positive communication and dialogue among the countries of the region towards consolidating the concepts of good neighborliness and starting from a common ground to build a more stable future for all."

Egypt said it was keen for the agreement to improve stability and ease tensions in the region. Its Foreign Ministry hoped that the agreement would also meet the aspirations of the peoples of the region in achieving development and prosperity.

Jordan’s Foreign Ministry echoed Egypt’s remarks, hoping that the agreement would protect the sovereignty of nations and end meddling in their internal affairs.

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation said the agreement gives a "new push towards cooperation between members of the organization."

OIC Secretary General Hissein Brahim Taha hoped the agreement would consolidate peace, security and stability in the region.

Pakistan's Foreign Ministry said the "significant diplomatic development will help establish peace and stability in the region and beyond."

Islamabad will continue to play its constructive role in the Middle East and region, it added, hoping that the agreement will serve as a model for regional cooperation and harmony.

Russian deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov described the agreement as a "very positive step" that he believes will have a "positive impact on the overall situation in the region."

Iran’s proxies

Pro-Iran groups welcomed the Beijing declaration.

Mohammed Abdulsalam, senior Houthi militia negotiator, tweeted that the region needs "normal relations to be restored between its countries so that the Islamic nation can restore its security that has been lost due to foreign meddling."

Secretary General of Hezbollah in Lebanon Hassan Nasrallah described the restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran as a "good development."

Skeptical Washington

The Turkish Foreign Ministry welcomed the agreement, saying: "Progress in relations between the two countries will greatly impact the security, stability and prosperity of our region."

The United States said it welcomed the agreement.

White House spokesman John Kirby remarked: "It really does remain to be seen whether the Iranians are going to honor their side of the deal."

He rejected claims that the new agreement demonstrates that China is filling the void the US is leaving in the region.

"I would stridently push back on this idea that we’re stepping back in the Middle East — far from it," he stressed.

"The Saudis did keep us informed about these talks that they were having, just as we keep them informed on our engagements, but we weren't directly involved," he added.

Another White House official said the US had long encouraged direct dialogue between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

"Generally speaking, we welcome any efforts to help end the war in Yemen and de-escalate tensions in the Middle East region," a National Security Council official stated.

"De-escalation and diplomacy together with deterrence are key pillars of the policy President Biden outlined during his visit to the region last year."

Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Republican Jim Risch criticized Biden’s policies, which he said had pushed away the United States’ partners and supported the idea that the US was withdrawing from the Middle East.

The Washington’s partners in the Middle East have constantly noted how Biden’s policy leans towards Iran, he told Asharq Al-Awsat. This led them to feel less secure and the US withdrawal from Afghanistan made them question the American commitment.

The more stringent American approach in striking arms sales also compounds the concerns of Washington’s allies, he noted.

The Washington’s focus on the Indo-Pacific region, China in particular, does not mean that it is turning its back on the Middle East, he added.

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Riyadh Meeting: Sanctions Are Obstructing Growth, Syria’s Future Will Be Decided by Syrians

Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
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Riyadh Meeting: Sanctions Are Obstructing Growth, Syria’s Future Will Be Decided by Syrians

Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)
Officials pose for a family photo at the Riyadh meeting on Syria on Sunday. (Saudi Foreign Ministry)

Saudi Arabia urged top European diplomats at a gathering Sunday to lift sanctions against Syria to boost rebuilding the country and its economy after last month’s overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad.

European and Middle Eastern diplomats met in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss Syria’s future. The US and European countries have been wary over the roots of Syria’s new rulers — the former insurgents who drove Assad out of power — and have said ending sanctions depends on the progress of the political transition.

The interim government led by the former opposition factions has vowed to move to a pluralist, open system. It is looking for international support as the country tries to recover from nearly 14 years of civil war that killed an estimated 500,000 people and displaced half the prewar population of 23 million. The new Syrian foreign minister, Asaad al-Shaibani, attended Sunday’s gathering.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said international and unilateral sanctions on Syria should be lifted.

Continuing them “will hinder the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people to achieve development and reconstruction,” he said. He praised steps so far by the interim government, including promises to start a political process “that includes various components” of the Syrian people.

Tackling any challenges or sources of concern should take place through dialogue and in a way that respects Syria’s independence and sovereignty, he added. “Syria’s future will be decided by the Syrian people,” he declared.

Saudi Arabia believes that the people have the right to determine their own fate through internal dialogue that ends all of their crises, he went on to say.

The United States, European Union and some Arab nations began imposing sanctions after Assad’s brutal crackdown on the 2011 uprising against his rule and tightened them as the conflict spiraled into war. Some are on individuals in Assad’s government, including freezing of assets. But many target the government in general, including bans on many financial and banking dealings, on oil purchases and on investment or trade in some sectors, crippling the wider economy.

There are exemptions when it comes to humanitarian aid, but relief organizations have said that overcompliance by financial institutions hinders their operations.

At the gathering, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said sanctions against “Assad’s henchmen who committed serious crimes” must remain in place.

But she called for “a smart approach to sanctions, providing rapid relief for the Syrian population. Syrians now need a quick dividend from the transition of power.” She did not elaborate but announced an additional 50 million euros ($51.2 million) in German aid for food, emergency shelters and medical care.

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas, who also attended the meeting, said European countries want to see a government that includes all of Syria’s religious and ethnic communities. “We want to see inclusivity of women also in the process, so these are the things that we are going to discuss,” she said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said his country, which was a strong supporter of the Syrian opposition to Assad, would try to help Syria in normalizing ties with the international community.

He said it was important to establish “a balance between the expectations of the international community and the realities faced by the new administration in Syria.”

He pledged Turkish support to the new government, especially in combating threats from the ISIS group. “As Türkiye, we are ready to do our part to ease the difficult path ahead for the Syrian people,” he said in comments carried by Türkiye’s state-run Anadolu Agency.

Last week, the United States eased some of its restrictions on Syria, with the US Treasury issuing a general license, lasting six months, that authorizes certain transactions with the Syrian government, including some energy sales and incidental transactions.

The US has also dropped a $10 million bounty it had offered for the capture of Ahmad al-Sharaa, a Syrian rebel leader formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, whose forces led the ouster of Assad last month. Al-Sharaa was a former senior al-Qaeda fighter who broke with the group years ago and has pledged an inclusive Syria that respects the rights of religious minorities.

The opposition led a lightning insurgency that ousted Assad on Dec. 8 and ended his family’s decades-long rule.

Much of the world severed ties with Assad and imposed sanctions on his government — and its Russian and Iranian allies — over alleged war crimes and the manufacturing of the amphetamine-like stimulant Captagon, which reportedly generated billions of dollars as packages of the little white pills were smuggled across Syria’s porous borders.

With Assad out of the picture, Syria’s new authorities hope that the international community will pour money into the country to rebuild its battered infrastructure and make its economy viable again.

Sunday’s meeting brought together foreign ministers and representatives from Bahrain, Egypt, France, Germany, Iraq, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Spain, Syria, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, as well as the Secretary-General of the Arab League, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, and the UN Special Envoy for Syria.

The meeting also addressed concerns over Israel's incursions into the buffer zone and neighboring sites in Mount Hermon and Quneitra Governorate. Participants underscored the need to respect Syria's unity, sovereignty, and territorial integrity.

Prince Faisal reiterated the Saudi Arabia’s strong condemnation of Israel's incursions into Syrian territories, calling them violations of international law and the 1974 disengagement agreement. He demanded the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces and renewed the Kingdom's rejection of such actions as acts of aggression and occupation.