Moscow welcomes Saudi-Iran agreement, hopes it would diminish tensions

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Mar 2023 15:52
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Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov announces that Moscow hopes that the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran would lessen the tensions between the two countries and across the region.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov (AP)

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said on Monday that Moscow welcomes the steps taken by Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore diplomatic relations and reduce tensions.

"We welcome any steps that can and will contribute to lowering the level of tension and optimizing dialogue in the region, a very unstable region. Especially when it comes to such key regional players as Saudi Arabia and Iran," Peskov said.

After seven years of strained ties, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed, on March 10, to restore diplomatic relations and reopen missions in respective countries after a series of talks brokered in Beijing, China under the auspices of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

According to the joint statement, "the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to resume diplomatic ties and reopen embassies and missions within two months of talks."

Moreover, Iran and Saudi Arabia said, in a joint statement following the announcement of the agreement, that they "thank the Republic of Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman for hosting the talks held between the two sides in 2021 and 2022, as well as the leaders and government of the People's Republic of China for hosting and supporting the talks held in that country."

Iran: Deal a 'political earthquake'

Major General Yahya Rahim Safavi, the advisor to the Iranian leader for military affairs, described the Iranian-Saudi agreement as "a political earthquake" that signals "the end of US hegemony in the region."

“In my opinion, the agreement is in the interests of the two countries and the Western Asia region," he said.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he acknowledged that “the Chinese have decided to become the world’s first economy by 2030," affirming that the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, under Chinese meditation, "dealt the second biggest blow to the US by China."

Israeli concern mounts

Numerous Israeli officials and media websites touched on the agreement that took place between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which saw both countries agreeing to resume dialogue and diplomatic ties, as well as opening embassies within two months, and the prevailing sentiment regarding the accord seems to be negative for the occupation.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett attacked incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the Saudi-Iranian agreement, saying it was "a resounding failure stemming from political negligence and overall weakness and internal conflict within the state."

"The rapprochement is a serious, dangerous development for Israel, and it is a serious political victory for Iran," Bennett said.

Former Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz also said the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia was a serious development and the "massive security threats are increasing, and the prime minister and the Knesset are too busy with their authoritarian coup."