UN hopes Iran-Saudi agreement will impact Yemen positively

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
11 Mar 2023 00:05
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After Iran and Saudi Arabia renewed their diplomatic ties, the United Nations sees this as an opportunity to de-escalate tensions in the region.

The United Nations headquarters building is pictured with a UN logo in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, US, March 1, 2022 (Reuters)

The United Nations hopes that the renewal of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, initiated by the Chinese president, will positively impact the war on Yemen, the UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday.

"In Yemen, we have a situation that is fragile … We hope this agreement will have a positive impact on this situation and others," Dujarric told a briefing.

He added that it is no surprise that the tension arising from the Iranian-Saudi relationship reflected negatively on the region and impacted it as a whole.

The countries had strained ties for over seven years before Chinese President Xi Jinping decided to initiate negotiations to reopen missions in respective countries and restore diplomatic relations.

The relationship initially became strained after the execution of Sheikh Nimr Baqir al-Nimr, a vocal critic of the Saudi government who voiced his concerns against corruption and political injustice in the Kingdom, back in January 2016.

According to an Iranian-Saudi 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."

During the past years, Iran had continuously expressed support for Sanaa in its self-defense against the Saudi-led coalition aggression against the country which resulted in further drift between Tehran and Riyadh.