Talks over sticking points between Iran and Saudi Arabia are moving ahead after a meeting between their foreign ministers on Thursday in Beijing, where the initial agreement for rapprochement was signed last month.
The meeting between Saudi Arabia’s Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Iranian counterpart Hossein Amirabdollahian represented a vital step towards the restoration of diplomatic ties.
News of Prince Faisal and Mr Amirabdollahian’s meeting was released this week by Asharq Al Awasat newspaper, which cited an unnamed source.
Choosing China “came as an extension of Beijing's positive role in reaching the agreement and facilitating communication between the two countries”, a source in Riyadh told the Saudi-owned newspaper.
Higher-level meetings between Saudi Arabian and Iranian leadership are expected to follow, after Iran confirmed it had accepted an invitation for President Ebrahim Raisi to visit Riyadh, according to Iran’s first vice president, Mohammed Mokhber.
Following the meeting on Thursday, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume flights and bilateral visits of official and private sector delegations, in addition to issuing visas for citizens, according to a joint statement signed by the two countries.
Both sides will also reopen diplomatic representations within the two-month period stipulated in an agreement brokered by China last month.
The official Iranian news agency, Irna, said that as part of Thursday’s agreement, the two long-time regional rivals would reopen representative offices in their respective capitals and in two other major cities — Mashhad in Iran and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia.
Analysts who have been following the thaw in ties between the two countries believe that a meeting between Mr Raisi and Saudi King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to take place after the two-month deadline Riyadh and Tehran set to reopen embassies and consulates.
In 2016, Riyadh severed ties with Tehran after protesters raided Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran following the execution of a prominent Shiite cleric in the kingdom. It was only one of many issues between the long-standing rivals.
Since April 2021, the two sides have held five rounds of negotiations in Baghdad and several mediation efforts from Oman.
“There has been a consensus from Iran on their relationship with the GCC states, especially Saudi Arabia, which would be a crown jewel in that clout for them," Ellie Geranmayeh, deputy head of the Middle East and North Africa programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations, told The National.
"The back channels that happened both under the Rouhani and Raisi administrations, as my understanding is that the Iranians have always pushed for having established diplomatic ties between their countries, and then from there working out the different sort of regional issues where there are differences and how to overcome them.
“From the Saudi kingdom, they want to get certain guarantees and assurances, particularly in the Yemen conflict and cross-border attacks into Saudi Arabia, before they are willing to actually move forward with the big bilateral issues,” Ms Geranmayeh added.
For Saudi Arabia, the deal could mean improved security guarantees. The kingdom has blamed Iran for arming the Yemeni Houthi rebels who carried out missile and drone attacks on its cities and oil facilities.
In 2019, Riyadh blamed an attack on Aramco oil facilities, which knocked out half of its oil output, directly on Iran.
Part of the initial agreement signed in March, analysts say, addresses Saudi Arabia’s security concerns.
The head of the Gulf Research Centre, Abdulaziz Sager, said the initial Saudi-Iranian agreement was “very important”, suggesting that “Iran has responded to China's demand to improve relations with neighbouring countries, and that was during Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi's visit to Beijing” in February.
“China can be an important party to play the role of the implementer or guarantor of this Saudi-Iranian agreement,” Mr Sager told Saudi state television after the deal.
“The requirements of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the countries in the region were to stop Iran from its interventionist and expansionist policy in the internal Arab affairs, which was stipulated in the agreement by talking about respect for sovereignty,” he added.
Joel Rubin, former US deputy assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs, agreed that Beijing's role would likely increase confidence that any deal would stick.
"Because China is a strong backer of Iran, Saudi should have more confidence in Iran's ability to comply with the agreement, an issue that has always been in doubt," Mr Rubin told AFP.
Those who have been following the reconciliation process also noted the speed with which Saudi Arabia and Iran have been following suit, following the agreement to initiate meetings and agreements within the two-month deadline set last month.
"It does seem there is interest on both sides to meet the two-month timeline announced in March for reopening embassies, and both sides seem to be fast-tracking this process," Ms Geranmayeh said.
Saudi political analyst Mohammed Alsaaed said the agreement signed on Thursday was the natural next step in restoring Saudi-Iranian relations.
"The agreements on the resumption of commercial flights, exchange of both private and official delegations between the two countries are all a stepping stone toward the full restoration of diplomatic ties we're expected to see as we approach the two-month deadline," Mr Alsaaed said.
The continuing reconciliation will also mean the possibility of ending years of war in Yemen where the Houthi rebels have been supported both politically and militarily by Iran.
“It is expected that the Islamic Republic of Iran will enter as a main mediator on the Yemeni issue and try to bring together the parties to the negotiating table, in addition to Saudi Arabia. The current truce in Yemen has a higher possibility of turning into permanent peace once both sides re-establish diplomatic ties,” Ahmad Mahdi, a professor of political affairs at Qom University, told Sky News Arabia.
Recent signs of a thaw in ties between Iran and its Gulf neighbours have also been gaining momentum after Tehran named an ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, nearly eight years after his predecessor left.
“The foreign ministry has named Reza Ameri as the Islamic Republic of Iran's new ambassador to the United Arab Emirates,” Iran's official Irna news agency reported late on Tuesday.
The move comes after Iran welcomed an Emirati ambassador last September, ending a six-year absence.
Iran also signalled its willingness to repair ties with another Gulf country with which it has had long-standing issues. Late last month, after the initial deal signed with Saudi Arabia in China, Mr Amirabdollahian said that Tehran hoped for steps to be made towards the normalisation of ties with Bahrain.
“An agreement was reached two months ago for Iranian and Bahraini technical delegations to visit the embassies of the two countries,” Mr Amirabdollahian told Irna.
Saudi writer and political researcher Mubarak Al Aati believes the Saudi-Iranian agreement will usher the region into a new phase, saying that “the agreement will block a lot of the countries lurking in the region”.
“The continuing agreement reaffirms that the countries of the region are able to gather their positions and take the initiative once again to address their issues whenever intentions are sincere, and there is a guarantor of any agreement,” Mr Al Aati said.
Mr Al Aati said that while Saudi Arabia still has many concerns, recent developments on the diplomatic front seem to be pointing in the right direction.
“This matter will need more time to prove intentions and sincerity in dealing with this agreement", he said, while describing the meeting of foreign ministers as "an important development towards a final agreement”.
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017
Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free
Day 1 fixtures (Saturday)
Men 1.45pm, Malaysia v Australia (Court 1); Singapore v India (Court 2); UAE v New Zealand (Court 3); South Africa v Sri Lanka (Court 4)
Women Noon, New Zealand v South Africa (Court 3); England v UAE (Court 4); 5.15pm, Australia v UAE (Court 3); England v New Zealand (Court 4)
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
UAE SQUAD
Omar Abdulrahman (Al Hilal), Ali Khaseif, Ali Mabkhout, Salem Rashed, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Khalfan Mubarak, Zayed Al Ameri, Mohammed Al Attas (Al Jazira), Khalid Essa, Ahmed Barman, Ryan Yaslam, Bandar Al Ahbabi (Al Ain), Habib Fardan, Tariq Ahmed, Mohammed Al Akbari (Al Nasr), Ali Saleh, Ali Salmin (Al Wasl), Adel Al Hosani, Ali Hassan Saleh, Majed Suroor (Sharjah), Ahmed Khalil, Walid Abbas, Majed Hassan, Ismail Al Hammadi (Shabab Al Ahli), Hassan Al Muharrami, Fahad Al Dhahani (Bani Yas), Mohammed Al Shaker (Ajman)
RESULTS
6.30pm UAE 1000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) US$100,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Final Song, Christophe Soumillon (jockey), Saeed bin Suroor (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (Turf) 1,000m
Winner Almanaara, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
7.40pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (D) 1,900m
Winner Grand Argentier, Brett Doyle, Doug Watson.
8.15pm Meydan Challenge Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Major Partnership, Patrick Cosgrave, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $200,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Gladiator King, Mickael Barzalona, Satish Seemar.
9.25pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $175,000 (T) 2,410m
Winner Universal Order, Richard Mullen, David Simcock.
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
The Bio
Favourite vegetable: “I really like the taste of the beetroot, the potatoes and the eggplant we are producing.”
Holiday destination: “I like Paris very much, it’s a city very close to my heart.”
Book: “Das Kapital, by Karl Marx. I am not a communist, but there are a lot of lessons for the capitalist system, if you let it get out of control, and humanity.”
Musician: “I like very much Fairuz, the Lebanese singer, and the other is Umm Kulthum. Fairuz is for listening to in the morning, Umm Kulthum for the night.”
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
THE CLOWN OF GAZA
Director: Abdulrahman Sabbah
Starring: Alaa Meqdad
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Founders: Ines Mena, Claudia Ribas, Simona Agolini, Nourhan Hassan and Therese Hundt
Date started: January 2017, app launched November 2017
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Private/Retail/Leisure
Number of Employees: 18 employees, including full-time and flexible workers
Funding stage and size: Seed round completed Q4 2019 - $1m raised
Funders: Oman Technology Fund, 500 Startups, Vision Ventures, Seedstars, Mindshift Capital, Delta Partners Ventures, with support from the OQAL Angel Investor Network and UAE Business Angels
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
RESULT
Argentina 0 Croatia 3
Croatia: Rebic (53'), Modric (80'), Rakitic (90' 1)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Brahmastra%3A%20Part%20One%20-%20Shiva
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAyan%20Mukerji%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERanbir%20Kapoor%2C%20Alia%20Bhatt%20and%20Amitabh%20Bachchan%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
1,000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List
James Mustich, Workman
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Match info
Arsenal 0
Manchester City 2
Sterling (14'), Bernardo Silva (64')
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
