Analysis of the Libyan ambassador regarding the commencement of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia and the formation of a regional bloc

FARAAN: Saudi Arabia and Iran are not satisfied with signing a joint statement under the supervision of China on March 10, and meetings between the parties at the level of ministers and ambassadors are underway. This express the real interests of both countries and increase the opportunity for regional cooperation and reduce foreign influence. What we are witnessing these days requires examining the opportunities in the fields of security, defense and foreign policy.
The Libyan ambassador in Tehran noted by publishing a note that the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia cannot be separated from the current developments in the relations of regional countries. This is because this agreement was formed in the context of political developments. Since the “Al-Ala” summit in early 2020, Saudi Arabia cautiously and hastily entered the Persian Gulf and then reconsidered its relations with Turkey, which coincided with the strengthening of the possibility of war in Ukraine.
Therefore, by predicting and considering the consequences of this war on the region and reducing its possible costs, Saudi Arabia has inclined to a neutral position. In the case of Iran, it can be said that this country has been subject to Western sanctions, blockades and attacks for decades, and therefore, it had no choice but to align itself with the Eastern Bloc, especially the Russian Federation and China, and at the same time present innovative plans related to the case of Syria and Yemen.
The agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia can be seen as a response to the negotiations in 2021 and 2022 with the coordination of Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman, which were carried out with the aim of creating political convergence in international relations. At the same time, the interests of China in the convergence of the positions of Iran and Saudi Arabia cannot be ignored. Nonetheless, it is not the only factor, but it can be evaluated as a complement to the common will of these two countries and their desire to overcome the previous stage and the costs of the crises of that stage.
While most political pundits focus on the content of the joint statement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, I believe that these two countries are ready to build trust and develop a formula through which they can overcome the costs of recent crises and choose stable and developable policies.
These developments give us opportunities for cooperation or regional integration while overcoming the differences that have prevailed for four decades, and on the one hand, it goes beyond the Carter Doctrine, which was the main source of many crises. On the other hand, it paves the way to resolve the situation in Syria and Yemen and coordinate efforts to respond to common challenges.
This step is not expected to be limited to the normalization of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, but rather seeks to pave the way for wider cooperation in various diplomatic, security and economic fields. This agreement, on the one hand, gives strong signals about the possibility of getting out of the illusion of sectarian conflicts and not giving political color to these conflicts, and on the other hand, the convergence of the two regional poles, that is, Iran and Saudi Arabia, over common interests is likely to escalate. It removes tension and paves the way for restructuring approaches in politics and interests.
In addition to creating opportunities, the value of this agreement lies in the willingness of the parties to exploit it as a resource for solving possible problems. The recent Oman meeting was held on April 4, with the presence of Syria, Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia, which in itself shows the will to resolve many disputed cases and issues, and by the will of God, we will soon see the resolution of the Yemen case.