Arab News

Iran has chance to embrace friendship with Gulf states

- DR. MAJID RAFIZADEH

While the coronaviru­s disease (COVID-19) pandemic continues to rage, the Islamic Republic has a great opportunit­y to launch diplomatic initiative­s with the aim of improving its relations with other countries in the region and seeking pragmatic coexistenc­e with the Gulf states.

The likes of Kuwait and the UAE have already provided Iran with humanitari­an assistance in the fight against the virus. Kuwait has donated $10 million, while the director general of the World Health Organizati­on, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu­s, applauded the UAE for its efforts.

It is commendabl­e that the Gulf states have offered humanitari­an assistance to the Iranian government in spite of their strained relationsh­ip. This provides a ripe environmen­t for the Iranian leaders to reciprocat­e by pursuing diplomacy, which would most likely be a win-win situation for all parties. As Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani proclaimed when he became president of Iran in 1989, “Iran needs to stop making enemies.” Former reformist President

Mohammad Khatami also called for a “dialogue among civilizati­ons,” which was hailed by the Gulf states.

The current situation offers a number of opportunit­ies for Iran to alter its policy toward the Gulf. First of all, it is in the national and humanitari­an interests of all countries in the region to contain or possibly eliminate COVID-19. This particular­ly applies to Iran, which is one of the hardest-hit nations in the Middle

East. The Iranian nation is facing an unpreceden­ted health crisis, which is placing significan­t pressure on the people and government officials. By cooperatin­g with the Gulf states, Tehran can alleviate some of the strains that it is encounteri­ng. In addition, if the Iranian government made an effort to get the Gulf states on to its side, it could bring the country out of isolation and enhance its legitimacy and reputation in the region. This would open the door to increased investment­s and trade deals. Having warmer ties with the Gulf states could also be beneficial for Tehran in terms of its relationsh­ip with the US, as Washington may change its political calculatio­ns and ease sanctions on the Islamic Republic.

The Iranian leaders must remember that, in 1997, when Bill Clinton and Khatami were in office, Gulf states were more than willing to play an intermedia­ry role and attempt to de-escalate tensions between the US and Iran. They also praised Khatami’s efforts to shift Iran’s foreign policy from aggressive­ness and pursuit of dominance in the region into pragmatism. There were remarkable improvemen­ts, with an increased number of official visits between Iran and its Gulf neighbors during this period, and with the Iranian president showing the country’s desires to embrace friendship.

Neverthele­ss, in order to achieve these objectives, today’s Iranian government must demonstrat­e that it is genuine in shifting its policy toward the Gulf states. This means that the Iranian leaders must take several important steps. First, Tehran must change its role and end its interferen­ce and influence in impacting the direction of politics in Arab countries. One example is Syria. Tehran ought to ease its attempts to use Syria as a proxy battlegrou­nd against Israel and the US, and it must stop arming and financing Shiite militia groups. In Yemen, Iran’s Islamic Revolution­ary Guard Corps and its elite branch, the Quds Force, should withdraw their military, advisory and financial support to the Houthis.

Iran’s leaders must also address the concerns of the Gulf states about the threat that Tehran’s nuclear program poses to the region. It has become evident that the Joint Comprehens­ive Plan of Action did not address these concerns and curb Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. Therefore, the deficienci­es in the nuclear agreement, including the sunset clauses that remove restrictio­ns on Iran’s nuclear program when the agreement expires, must be revised. In conclusion, the Iranian government has two paths to choose from: To seek to further its isolation and alienation through continued violence, or to take the opportunit­y for de-escalation via diplomacy and embracing friendship with its Gulf neighbors. Improved relations between

Iran and the Gulf could have a significan­t impact on the region’s geopolitic­al, economic and security landscapes. If

Iran pursues these diplomatic initiative­s, the region might witness more stability and security, which would preserve the economic, political and strategic interests of all parties involved.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Saudi Arabia