Saudi, Iran foreign ministers in Ramadan call, agree to meet soon
Al JazeeraDec 05, 2022
Iran, Saudi Arabia Set to Reopen Embassies
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Image copyright: Saudi Press Agency/AFP/Getty Images [via The Guardian]
The Facts
The Iranian Foreign Ministry announced Sunday that ministry officials will travel to Saudi Arabia this week to prepare for the reopening of the Iranian diplomatic missions in the Persian Gulf kingdom.
According to Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Enayati, two separate delegations will visit Saudi Arabia to arrange the reopening of Iran’s embassy in Riyadh and its consulate in Jeddah.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Saudi-Iranian diplomatic overtures are not necessarily bad news for Washington, as greater regional security also serves US interests. Yet Washington should also seize the opportunity to focus on promoting political pluralism and human rights in the region to achieve lasting peace. Moreover, to effectively contain the authoritarian PRC regime's growing regional influence, Washington must defend its interests and liberal values there with like-minded allies.
Establishment-critical narrative
That Saudi Arabia and Iran are about to reopen their embassies signifies that China's efforts to bring peace to the region are bearing fruit. That the US pretends to welcome any development that benefits peace shows Washington has instigated regional conflicts to profit from chaos. The recent developments in the Middle East are the latest expression of the fact that Global South countries are finally fed up with Washington's hypocrisy and the export of its so-called "values."
