Al-Jarida, Jordan, Originally posted in Arabic on January 22
Several news sources reported in recent days that the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, denounced the burning of the Saudi embassy in Teheran and described the assault as “offensive to Islam.”
If these reports are true, then Pakistan – which mediated the talks between the Saudis and the Iranians – made an important accomplishment. At the same time, there is still a long way to go before the relations between Riyadh and Teheran can improve.
Any warming up of the ties between the two countries will require painstaking efforts. It seems like Pakistan decided to intervene in the ongoing conflict between the two Middle Eastern behemoths after tensions reached an all-time high. Islamabad views Saudi Arabia as a close regional ally, but is also conscious of its proximity to Iran, with which it shares a long border. While the vast majority of Pakistan’s population is Sunni, it is also home to the largest Shiite community outside Iran. Therefore, there is no doubt that the Supreme Leader’s remarks – if proven correct – are an important milestone in Islamabad’s future role as a mediator in the region.
However, more must be done by Iran to make this reconciliation work. It must put an immediate end to its operations in Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Bahrain. It must abandon its nuclear aspirations. It must not engage in an oil-exporting war, in which it attempts to knock Riyadh out of the market by lowering gas prices to ridiculous levels.
As the old saying says, “it takes two to tango”. Pakistan can be a very good mediator, but without Teheran’s good will, this effort will simply be insufficient. – Saleh al-Kilab