Iran-Saudi ties and impact on regional politics
China, as a major global power, has been playing an increasingly important role in promoting peace and stability in the Middle East region. One of the key areas where China has been focusing its efforts is in improving the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Iran, two countries that have been involved in a long-standing conflict.
Undoubtedly, China has a significant economic and strategic interest in the Middle East, and it has been actively involved in the region’s affairs for many years. In recent years, China has been working to build closer ties with both countries, recognizing the importance of the two countries in the region’s stability. China has been actively involved in promoting dialogue between the two countries, and has been working to facilitate discussions on key issues of concern.
In 2020, China hosted a meeting between Saudi Arabia and Iran in an effort to promote dialogue and improve relations between the two countries. The meeting was seen as a significant step forward in improving relations between the two countries, and it was welcomed by many in the region. China has also been working to increase economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Iran, recognizing the potential benefits of increased economic ties between the two countries.
China has been actively investing in both countries, and has been working to promote trade and investment between the two countries. China has also been involved in efforts to resolve conflicts in the region, including the war in Yemen. China has been actively engaged in supporting peace talks and working towards a political solution to the conflict, recognizing the impact that the conflict has had on regional stability.
China’s efforts to promote dialogue, increase economic cooperation, and build cultural ties between the two countries have been welcomed by many in the region. Pakistan, being a Muslim-majority state with a long-standing relationship with both Iran and Saudi Arabia, also warmly welcomed China’s efforts to bring these two nations closer together. Pakistan has a long-standing relationship with both Iran and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has been a major source of economic and military assistance to Pakistan, and the two countries have also cooperated on regional security issues. However, Pakistan also has close ties with Iran, with whom it shares a long border. Pakistan has tried to maintain a balance between its relations with Iran and Saudi Arabia, but the conflict between the two countries has put Pakistan in a difficult position. Pakistan’s role in the conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia has been crucial. As a neighboring country, Pakistan has a vested interest in ensuring regional peace and stability. Pakistan has tried to play a mediator’s role, but its efforts have been largely unsuccessful. Pakistan has also sought to maintain its neutrality in the conflict, but this has become increasingly challenging as the conflict has escalated. In 2016, Pakistan hosted a meeting between the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia in an attempt to defuse tensions between the two countries. However, the meeting ended without any significant progress, and the conflict between Iran and Saudi Arabia continued to escalate.
In 2019, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan, visited Iran and Saudi Arabia in an effort to reduce tensions between the two countries. The visit was part of a broader effort by Pakistan to play a more active role in regional diplomacy and conflict resolution. During his trip, Khan met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss ways to ease tensions and find a peaceful resolution to their disputes. Khan’s mediation efforts were significant because Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been bitter rivals, with tensions between the two countries exacerbated by their competing interests in the Middle East. The two countries have been engaged in a proxy war in Yemen, with Iran supporting the Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia supporting the Yemeni government. In addition, Iran and Saudi Arabia have been at odds over Syria, with Iran supporting the regime of President Bashar al-Assad and Saudi Arabia backing opposition forces.
This visit was seen as a positive step towards reducing tensions between the two countries, but it remains to be seen whether his efforts will lead to any significant breakthroughs. Nonetheless, Pakistan’s role as a mediator in the region is likely to become increasingly important in the coming years as the Middle East continues to face a range of complex geopolitical challenges.
Although the normalization of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia is unlikely to have a direct impact on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), however, there could be indirect effects on CPEC, depending on the specific details of any potential settlement between Iran and Saudi Arabia.For example, if Iran and Saudi Arabia were to improve their relations, it could lead to the opening of new trade routes and investment opportunities that could benefit CPEC.
It would have significant positive implications for regional stability and economic development. As the two countries have been at the center of many regional conflicts and proxy wars, a reduction in tensions would create new opportunities for cooperation and integration, which could benefit not only the two countries but also the wider region. It remains to be seen whether a settlement is achievable, but the efforts of China and Pakistan to facilitate dialogue and diplomacy between the two countries are a positive step towards greater regional stability and prosperity.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Islamabad.
