ME peace diplomacy

IN a welcome attempt to broker peace between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and army chief Raheel Sharif visited Riyadh and Iran last week and held important negotiations with the leaders of the two countries. The mediation visit took place in the background of rising tensions between the two Middle Eastern giants following the execution of a prominent Shia scholar Nimr al-Nimr in Saudi Arabia. This led to massive protests all over Iran and ransacking of the Saudi embassy in Tehran. The incident resulted in the cessation of diplomatic ties between the two countries, intensifying the politico-sectarian divides in the region. The Pakistan Prime Minister and the army chief travelled first to Riyadh and then to Tehran. In Saudi Arabia, the Pakistani dignitaries followed up on the talks held earlier with Mohammed bin Salman, the Kingdom's deputy crown prince and defense minister during his visit to Islamabad in the course of which he was given assurances of unstinted support for the defence of Saudi Arabia. Later, the Pakistani dignitaries flew to Tehran where they met with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani. In Tehran, the Pakistani leaders discussed ways and means to find a peaceful settlement of the regional issues. At the end of the visit, PM Nawaz Sharif told the press that "Pakistan has conveyed Saudi Arabia's concerns to Iran, and will pass on Iran's concerns to Saudi Arabia."

Pakistan's decision to play the mediator has much to do with its close historical and diplomatic ties with both Saudi Arabia and Iran and its deep interest in maintaining peace in the region. It goes without saying that Pakistan is directly affected by a worsening of the sectarian and geopolitical feud between Iran and Saudi Arabia for influence in the Middle East. As an immediate neighbor, Pakistan is well positioned to play the role of an honest broker between Tehran and Riyadh. Unlike many other major Muslim countries which have become partisan in this long-brewing Saudi-Iran conflict, Pakistan has remained neutral. That the two disputant countries have agreed to work with Pakistan for peace is evident from the fact that they have agreed to appoint special envoys to coordinate with Pakistan's own "focal person" on the issue. Further, while the Saudi defence minister has ruled out war as an option, the Iranian foreign minister has indicated willingness to engage positively with Riyadh. Iranian authorities have also taken action against those who attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran.

However, we should not forget that differences between Saudi Arabia and Iran are wide-ranging, covering a mix of geopolitical, geo-economic and religious factors. So, it would be unrealistic to expect that they can be resolved overnight. What is needed is full support for Pakistan's efforts from the international community, particularly the Muslim states, to keep the lines of communication open between the kingdom and the Islamic republic. The primary responsibility for engaging Tehran and Riyadh in a common search for peace lies with OIC. In this context, an emergency meeting of the Islamic conference should be called immediately to take the process initiated by Pakistan forward. Given the existing economic challenges and emerging opportunities in the region, Tehran and Riyadh should have a high stake in keeping the region peaceful and quiescent. Tehran has just been freed from nuclear-related sanctions, while Riyadh is facing serious fiscal deficit due to the oil glut in the global market. Neither can afford a long winter of tension and confrontation which will adversely affect the political and economic fortunes of both.