Saudi Arabia is looking for ways to normalize relations with Iran and get out of Yemen's war. Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman's initiative could make major changes in the conflict-oriented position of Middle East countries. The Iraq government is involved in the intervention process to normalize relations with Iran. Iraq's influential Shia leader Mukhtar al-Sadar is continuously pursuing diplomatic efforts. At the end of last month, he met with the Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman of Saudi Arabia. After completing the tour of Saudi Arabia, Muktaad al-Sadar also met with the Crown Prince of the UAE, Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Iran is widely believed to have a strong influence on the anti-American Shia guerrilla leader. In addition, Iran plays an important role in the policy making of the current Iraq government. Iraq's Interior Minister Qasim al-Arzi met with Iranian leaders after visiting Saudi Arabia last month as part of normalizing relations between Riyadh and Tehran. Araji told Iran's leaders, Mohammed bin Salman is keen to ease tension with Iran. The Iranian news agency said that Iraq and Iran discussed their position on regional issues in this meeting.
Saudi Arabia faces a major disaster in Yemen's uncertain battle. Saudi Arabia's security is under threat as well as the huge expenditure on the war. In the war, the western world and Muslim countries did not get the kind of support Riyadh had hoped for. Rather, the impact of Saudi Arabia on humanitarian disasters, including the death of 10 thousand people, infanticide, and clashes in Yemen has been severely damaged. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia, after assuming power in the United States, said that major sanctions on Iran, especially new sanctions would be imposed on Saudi Arabia. For this, the lobbyists of Saudi Arabia and the UAE failed in many ways but failed.
Although the trump administration has a little lower relation with Iran, Iran's economic ties with European countries are getting closer. Besides, Iran has close ties with the Gulf country Kuwait, Qatar and Oman. At the beginning of last year, Iran's relations with Saudi Arabia have gone very bad. There was a massive protest in Iran after the execution of Shia religious leader Nimar al-Nimar of Saudi Arabia. At one stage, protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran. Since then, Saudi Arabia has limited diplomatic relations with Iran.
Saudi Arabia organized Arab American Islamic Summit in Iran to take anti-Iran positions, but it did not work effectively. US President Donald Trump joined the conference and signed a deal with Saudi Arabia for a few billion dollars, but did not take any major initiative to put pressure on Iran economically, which was disappointing for Saudi Arabia.
In such a situation, the Saudi Arab-led Gulf countries failed to block Qatar, but Iran's relations with Qatar continued to grow. The two countries signed an agreement to lift gas from a common gas field. Food is supplied from Iran regularly in Qatar. As a result, the country is expected to bring major changes to Iran's policy due to the fear that Saudi Arabia's influence could be further reduced in the region.
But Saudi Arabia has strategic targets in close relations with Iran and Iraq's Shia leaders. After 27 long years, Saudi Arabia's border with Iraq has recently been opened. The forces led by the Muktaad al-Sadr have been influenced by the border areas of Saudi Arabia. He is not a Najaf-centric Shia leader. Qatar had close relations with this Shia leader. Much of Al Qaeda's role in the Lebanese Hezbollah is being supported by Qatar in many ways. Now Saudi Arabia is keen to have a special relationship with this Shia leader directly. Because Saudi Arabia thinks the Iraq-Saudi border will be safe if it maintains good relations with the Shia leaders of Arab descent.
The border was opened without two weeks of Crown Prince Salman's meeting with Mukhtar al-Sadar. Besides, after the sanctions on Qatar, the country has become increasingly focused on increasing relations with Iran, it has been possible to turn its turn through it. In fact, Saudi Arabia wants to get the benefits of relations with Iran.
The difficult political situation in the Middle East has made it difficult for Saudi Arabia to make a long lasting fight in Yemen. Mansur Hadi government, supported by Saudi Arabia, has failed to establish full authority over Yemen.
Yemen is now divided into two parts of the state. This situation is not possible without the compromise of Yemen's war. On the other side, Yemen has to be part of Iran for any negotiation. Because Houthi rebels are fighting with Iran's support. After the visit to Saudi Arabia, Muqtadah Al-Sadar's visit to the UAE has been speculating that the Arab countries of the Shi'a community want to create a holistic relationship with the Gulf countries. In this case, special emphasis has been given to achieve Iran's confidence.
Indeed, in the role of the United States and European countries on the Qatar issue, diplomatic negotiations between the countries led by Saudi Arabia have given new dimensions. It is clear that the elimination of Iran will be difficult to consolidate the powers of the Arab regime, staying away from the stability in the Middle East. Uncertainty in Syria and Yemen and the failed blockades against Qatar have forced the new initiative.
But there is enough skepticism about how successful Saudi Arabia's friendly relationship with Iran will be. Because of the possibility of the separation of Shia-Sunni divisions, it has been possible to create long-lasting unrest in the Arab world.
The Arab countries have the power to counter the Shia against the weapons purchasing power. The war against Iran and Arab nobility has not only increased the weapons competition in the Middle East; Made Israel safe. As a result, it cannot be said that the Iranian-Saudi ties do not turn in a good direction suddenly..
The writer is a student of the Department of History, Jahangirnagar University
