BAGHDAD — Iraq has invited Iran and Tehran's Gulf
Arab foes to a summit in Baghdad with the objective of calming tensions which
have brought them close to open conflict in recent years.
اضافة اعلان
Officials say the meeting, which will also discuss the war
in Yemen, Lebanon's collapse and a regional water crisis, could take a step
towards Saudi-Iranian rapprochement even though they have yet to say what
representation they will send.
Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kadhimi has also invited Gulf
allies Egypt and Jordan as well as Turkey and French President Emmanuel Macron,
whose country is co-organizing the summit, expected to be held on Saturday.
Macron and Kadhimi want to reduce regional tension by fostering
dialogue, including on security, said a French presidential source. "The
aim is to initiate something here and to continue (it) after this
conference," the source said.
Strains between Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shiite Muslim
Iran — longtime rivals for regional dominance — worsened after a 2019 assault
on Saudi oil plants that briefly knocked out half of Saudi oil production.
Riyadh blamed the attack on Iran, a charge Tehran denied.
The two countries are aligned with rival forces fighting a
war in Yemen and severed their relations in 2016 — although they resumed direct
talks in Iraq in April this year.
Riyadh, fearing Washington's renewed nuclear talks with Iran
could lead to an easing of US sanctions on Tehran, sees engagement as a way to
contain tensions without abandoning its security concerns over attacks it
blames on Iran and its allies.
Baghdad hopes Iran's new hardline President Ebrahim Raisi
will attend the meeting and expect ministers from Gulf states including Saudi
Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to join.
"Even if we bring the foreign ministers together at one
table this could be considered a breakthrough to end the tensions between
Iranians and the Gulf Arabs," an official close to Kadhimi said.
Tactical dialogue
Another factor militating in favor of dialogue is the Afghan
crisis. Gulf Arabs, which have long leaned on the United States for their
security, are concerned about the chaotic end to Washington's two-decade war in
Afghanistan, with the hardline Islamist Taliban having regained power this
month as foreign forces aim to complete their withdrawal by Aug. 31.
"The prospect of regional conflict, coupled with their
perception of Washington as unreliable, have ... prompted the Saudis and
Emiratis to pursue a limited, tactical, bilateral de-escalation with
Tehran," the International Crisis Group think tank said in a report.
A politician close to the premier said Iraq, which hosted
the private meetings earlier this year between Saudi and Iranian officials, had
received "positive signals" from Tehran and Gulf states that they
were ready for more direct discussions.
Saudi-Iranian dialogue launched in April as global powers
held negotiations on reviving their 2015 nuclear pact with Iran, which Riyadh
and its allies opposed for not tackling Tehran’s ballistic missile program and
regional proxies.
Three other regional sources said it was premature for a
breakthrough, with an Iranian source saying progress would likely hinge on the
nuclear talks in Vienna. Parties involved in those negotiations have yet to say
when they will resume.
"We have always welcomed improving
ties with regional
countries such as Saudi Arabia, and it is a priority of our President Raisi's
foreign policy. Whether this will happen in Iraq next week, I seriously doubt
it," said a senior Iranian official.
Riyadh says it wants "verifiable deeds" from Iran.
Earlier this month, the Saudi foreign minister said an "emboldened"
Iran was acting in a negative manner around the Middle East including in Yemen
and Lebanon and in regional waters.
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