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NO.2423 - Shai restores diplomatic relations
Author: Chongguang
Proofreader: Asakagi / Editor: Kagori Yuki
On the evening of March 10, Beijing time, the People's Republic of China, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Islamic Republic of Iran issued a trilateral joint statement in Beijing. The three countries announced that after several days of negotiations, Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement, including agreeing to restore diplomatic relations, reopen their embassies and representative offices within up to two months, arrange for the exchange of ambassadors, and explore strengthening bilateral relations. The three countries expressed their readiness to make every effort to strengthen international and regional peace and security.
The two countries put aside their long-standing differences and shook hands and made peace
A peaceful atmosphere is not only conducive to regional stability
It can also make global trade in resources smoother▼
As soon as the news came out, not only Oman, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and other Middle Eastern countries issued statements welcoming the trilateral joint statement, but also the US White House also welcomed it, and UN Secretary-General António Guterres issued a statement through his spokesperson welcoming Shai's decision to agree to restore diplomatic relations and thanked China for assisting in relevant consultations.
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Since the 40s of the last century, the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two major Middle Eastern powers, has had ups and downs, often over various trivial wars, and the two countries have even severed diplomatic relations many times.
Why are Shay's neighbors across the sea so conflicted? Why are other countries' attempts to mediate to improve relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran ineffective, while only China is trying to match Saudi Arabia and Iran?
Where Saudi Arabia and Iran are located▼
Sects, polities and line
Since the founding of the unified Najd and Hejaz states in 1932, Saudi Arabia, home to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, has prided itself as the leader of the Islamic world, promoting its Sunni branch of Islam, the Wahhabi.
The "Holy Land" is here, and thousands of people come to pilgrimage
Faith is important, gathering and uniting
(Photo: Shutterstock)
Its teachings advocate the elimination of similar folk beliefs from Islam and oppose heresy such as secularization, saint worship, and the cult of the Holy Sepulchre, let alone the teachings and claims of non-Sunni sects such as Shiites. The Saudi royal family believes in Wahhabi, which is naturally difficult to be at the same frequency as Iran, which has more than ninety percent of the population being Shia.
After all, Sunnis and Shiites have even fought civil wars several times over the issue of caliphate succession, so they have forged a blood feud of more than a thousand years. That's why a skirmish between the people can ignite the anger of Saudi Arabia and Iran.
This part of the Middle East has chaotic roots
There is more chaotic impulse, and there is a "chaotic mission"▼
In 1943, an Iranian pilgrim named Abu Talib Yazidi was suspected of throwing vomit at the Kaaba during the Hajj to Mecca, and the Saudi side arrested and executed him.
"The oldest mosque ever created in the world
It is indeed the auspicious Kaaba in Meccana, the guide of the world."
(This dares to spit?) Photo: OneImage)▼
It was not until three years later, when the then Saudi King Abdelaziz Al Saud wrote to the Shah of Iran, Mohammed-Reza Pahlavi, that the two countries resumed diplomatic relations.
There is no hatred that cannot be passed, but there are common interests that must be shaken hands and reconciled
(The then Shah of Iran on the left, the Shah of Saudi Arabia on the right)▼
With the exchange of visits between the then Shai monarch Faisal and Pahlavi in 1966, which peacefully resolved the Shah'i dispute over the islands in the Persian Gulf, relations between the two countries gradually improved, and Iran also supported Saudi Arabia in forming international organizations such as the Islamic World Alliance and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation to promote the unity of the Islamic world.
Pahlavi led the top-down White Revolution in Iran in the '60s, which led to a series of economic, social, and political reforms, modernized the country by nationalizing certain industries, and gave women the right to vote, hoping to make Iran a world power.
In the "referendum" of 1963
Although women were not officially allowed to vote, they did have the right to vote
(Photo: wiki) that does not conform to Islamic traditions▼
The fluttering Pahlavi wrote to Faisal urging him to also lead Saudi modernization: "My brother, please modernize. Open up your country. So that boys and girls can go to school together. So that women can wear miniskirts. Open discotheque. Modernize, otherwise I can't guarantee that you will always sit safely on your throne. ”
Multi-image▼
In his reply to Pahlavi, Faisal wrote: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your advice. May I remind you that you are not the Shah of France (the monarch of Iran), and you are not in the Elysee Palace. You are in Iran, and 90% of the population of your country is Muslim. Don't forget that. ”
However, history seems to be on Faisal's side. Although Pahlavi's White Revolution was somewhat successful, the failure of some land reform programs, the absence of democratic reforms, and fierce opposition from landlords and religious groups eventually triggered the 1979 Islamic Revolution, which led to the fall of the Pahlavi dynasty.
The monarchy has since become history in Iran
The reform of social modernization also came to an abrupt end in ideological confrontation
(Photo: OneImage & Wiki) ▼
After Iran switched from a monarchy to a republic, and intended to export a revolution (the then Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khomeini believed that the monarchy was contrary to Islamic principles), the Gulf Arab monarchies could not sit still, fearing that their thrones would be unstable.
Khomeini's rise to power has made Iran an "outlier" among the Gulf states
The monarchs of neighboring countries are not so comfortable sitting in their seats
(Photo: wiki) ▼
In 1980, Iraq under Saddam Hussein sent troops to invade Iran, the Iran-Iraq War broke out, and the Gulf monarchies saw an opportunity to weaken the nascent Islamic Republic of Iran, and immediately sent money to Saddam, in which Saudi Arabia promised to provide Iraq with $25 billion worth of aid, and encouraged Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to also provide financial support to Iraq.
The rich Gulf monarchs did not hesitate to finance the "barrel of a gun on the bright side"
(It can not only relieve hatred and take land, but also obtain benefits Photo: OneImage) ▼
In this regard, Iran not only verbally threatened Saudi Arabia and Kuwait during the Iran-Iraq War, but would face serious consequences if it did not stop, and even sent two F-4 fighters into Saudi airspace in 1984 with the intention of bombing oil tankers, and Royal Saudi Air Force F-15 fighters took to the air to intercept and shoot down the two F-4s.
The upper is an Iranian F-4 fighter
Below is the Saudi F-15 fighter (Photo: wiki)▼
In 1987, Shiite pilgrims in Iran staged anti-Western demonstrations during the Hajj to Mecca and clashed violently with Saudi Arabian security forces that killed more than 400 people, most of them Iranian citizens.
The already tense relations between the two countries have further deteriorated...
(Photo: Albawaba)
As soon as this happened, the angry Iranian people launched a "traditional performing arts" on August 1 of that year, stormed the Kuwaiti and Saudi embassies in Tehran, and punched a Saudi diplomat to death. Khomeini also called on the Saudi people to rise up to overthrow the Saudi dynasty and avenge the dead pilgrims.
Monument to the "Mecca Incident" in Tehran
(Photo: wiki) ▼
In response, Saudi Arabia severed diplomatic relations with Iran in April 1988 and drastically reduced the annual quota for the number of pilgrims allocated to Iran.
It can be said that after the Islamic Revolution, the contradictions between Iran and Saudi Arabia have become more and more large, not only limited to sectarian conflicts, but also in the ideological field.
Although the Shah and Iran resumed diplomatic relations in 1991, after entering the 21st century, the relationship between the two countries still has ups and downs due to these issues:
In February 2015, two Iranian teenagers were sexually harassed by Saudi police at Jeddah Airport, Saudi Arabia;
It cannot be tolerated in terms of personal bodily rights, doctrine, laws, national image, etc
(图:al-monitor)▼
In September of the same year, a stampede during the Hajj in Mecca that killed more than 2,000 people, including 464 Iranians, was blamed by the Iranian government, while someone in the Saudi royal family posted on social media that it would ban Iranians from traveling to Mecca "to protect the safety of pilgrims."
The annual pilgrimage has finally arrived
The pious heart has long been unable to hold back▼
After Saudi Arabia executed the country's prominent Shiite cleric Nemir in early January 2016, Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Ali
It went to the point of attacking embassies and not being properly addressed
The ending is generally to say goodbye (Photo: wiki)▼
Saudi Arabia has since severed diplomatic relations with Iran. Meanwhile, the two countries are waging a proxy war in Yemen: the Saudi-backed Yemeni government vs. the Iranian-backed Houthis.
The relationship between Shai and Yi was so hot for one day and cold for three days, and finally it was completely cold.
The struggle continued, but I learned not to stir up fire in my home
Operate in other countries
It is worth noting that the Shah-Iran relationship is not as simple as the relationship between the two countries, but also the manipulation and influence of other countries such as Israel, the United States and Russia.
Specifically, the attitude of Saudi Arabia and Iran towards Israel has a considerable impact on the relationship between the two countries.
As early as the early 50s of the last century, Iran under the Pahlavi dynasty chose to recognize Israel and establish diplomatic relations in 1950 because it was not an Arab country, and the Persians had saved the Jews who had been prisoners of Babylon, and Iran became the second Islamic country to recognize Israel after Turkey.
Cyrus's "liberation" of the Jews contributed to the formation of Judaism
Therefore, he was revered by the Jews as the "king of holy oil"
(Cyrus frees the "prisoner of Babylon" :wiki) ▼
Also a country on the periphery of the Arab world in the Middle East
It makes sense to talk a lot
(Iranian Foreign Minister visits the home of the President of Israel in 1950 Photo: wiki) ▼
However, after Iran's Islamic Revolution, Iran severed diplomatic relations with Israel, declaring that the latter was a "cancer" that was about to be eliminated.
A relationship is very good or bad depending on the person running the relationship
(Tear down the statue of Shah Photo: wiki) ▼
Times have changed (Photo: wiki)▼
Although Saudi Arabia has always refused to recognize Israel because of the Palestinian issue, after entering the 21st century, Saudi Arabia has gradually had more and more interaction with Israel, and Israeli-Israeli relations have begun to thaw:
In 2005, Saudi Arabia announced the lifting of its ban on Israeli goods and services;
In 2018, Saudi Arabia began allowing flights operated by foreign airlines connecting Israel with other countries to fly over Saudi airspace;
In November 2020, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Saudi Arabia and met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Although the two countries have little interaction on the surface
Secretly, there is no lack of "eyebrows"
(Left: Netanyahu, Right: Mohammed bin Salman)
(Photo: OneImage) ▼
Although Saudi Arabia and Israel do not have any official diplomatic relations, there is a long-standing intelligence and drone cooperation between the two countries, which is necessary to counter Iran, their common adversary in the Middle East.
In addition, Saudi Arabia and Israel are also allies of the United States in the Middle East, and the United States and Iran have been at odds since the Islamic Revolution, and in order to curb Iran's nuclear program, the United States has imposed round after round of sanctions on Iran, and negotiations between the two on the resumption of the implementation of the Iranian nuclear agreement have so far been fruitless.
Under such circumstances, the United States and Israel will naturally not take the initiative to promote Saudi Arabia to improve relations with Iran, the common adversary of the three countries.
"It doesn't matter, I will choose a partner for the little brother"
(Photo: Shutterstock)
As for Russia, it is also difficult to maintain neutrality between Saudi Arabia and Iran: there is close military cooperation between Russia and Iran, Russia exports tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, fighter jets and other large and small weapons and equipment to Iran, and Iran exports drones to Russia after the outbreak of the Russian-Ukrainian conflict.
The two sides take what they need, not to mention that there are common opponents
(Model of an Iranian drone on display in Moscow: Shutterstock)
In this way, only countries other than these countries have the ability to broker peace between the Shay.
Bright prospects
As a major country outside the region, China also maintains good relations with Saudi Arabia and Iran. Specifically, China is a comprehensive strategic partnership with Iran and Saudi Arabia, and it is also the largest trading partner of Iran and Saudi Arabia, which undoubtedly makes China and the Shai in the conflict form an extremely important relationship of trust.
At the same time, high-level interactions between China and Saudi Arabia and Iran are frequent. At the end of 2022, the first China-Arab Summit and China-Sea Summit were held in Saudi Arabia, at which China and the GCC agreed to actively ensure supply chain resilience and food and energy supply security, and establish closer cooperation in clean energy, high-tech, aerospace and other fields.
Frequent trade exchanges, close diplomatic interaction
A reliable relationship of mutual trust has been established
(Signing of investment agreement Photo: SPA)▼
In February this year, China received Iranian President Raisi for a visit to China, and the two countries issued a joint statement, saying that they are willing to work together to implement the China-Iran comprehensive cooperation plan and continue to deepen cooperation in trade, agriculture, industry, renewable energy, infrastructure and other fields.
All this shows that China is paying more and more attention to the Middle East, and China's influence in the Middle East is getting stronger and stronger.
"For Iran, it's about getting rid of diplomatic isolation. For China, this is to deepen their involvement in the region and show that it is more than just an energy consumer. For the Saudis, it's about the Americans (referring to the fact that when the Saudi government demanded new security guarantees from the United States, Shai gave the Saudis more bargaining chips). Said Rey Tachki, an Iran expert at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former State Department official and diplomat.
It is worth noting that the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi and Iraq is not limited to reopening embassies and restoring cooperation in the fields of security, economy, trade, investment, technology, science, culture and sports, but also contributes to the stability of the situation in the entire Middle East.
In Yemen, Saudi Arabia is seeking a permanent ceasefire to end the war with Iranian-backed Houthis. The resumption of diplomatic relations could prompt Iran to cut arms shipments to the Houthis, helping to end the war in Yemen.
It is a good opportunity to get out of the "quagmire"
(Photo: Flickr)
In Syria, Saudi Arabia has long supported Sunni forces fighting the Syrian government, while Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has the backing of Iran and Russia. As more and more Arab countries look to rebuild relations with the Syrian government, the war in Syria has been deadlocked for a long time, and the parties may sit down to negotiate a settlement of the dispute.
The people of Syria have been waiting for peace
(Photo: Shutterstock)
In addition, the resumption of diplomatic relations could also contribute to the security and stability of Iraq and Lebanon, where Iranian-backed Shiite militias are active.
European and American analysts generally believe that the resumption of diplomatic relations between Saudi and Iran is a major diplomatic victory for China.
Resources:
1. https://www.saltwire.com/halifax/news/iran-and-saudi-arabia-key-developments-towards-resumption-of-ties-100832816/
2. https://www.fmprc.gov.cn/zyxw/202302/t20230216_11025836.shtml
3. http://sa.china-embassy.gov.cn/xwdt/202212/t20221211_10988878.htm
4. https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230310-made-in-china-saudi-iran-deal-goes-beyond-middle-east-say-analysts
5. https://www.wsj.com/articles/saudi-arabia-iran-restore-relations-in-deal-brokered-by-china-406393a1
6. https://www.npr.org/2023/03/10/1162562242/saudi-arabia-iran-relations-china-analysis
7. https://www.cnbctv18.com/world/iran-and-saudi-arabia-agree-to-resume-ties-after-years-of-hostility-in-middle-east-16142021.htm
8. https://www.timesofisrael.com/top-israeli-official-blames-weakness-of-biden-bennett-lapid-for-saudi-iran-deal/
9. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/03/11/world/saudi-arabia-iran-bilateral-relationship/
10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran%E2%80%93Saudi_Arabia_relations
*The content of this article is provided by the author and does not represent the position of the Earth Knowledge Bureau
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