Syria Welcomes Iranian-Saudi Agreement, Calls For Arabian Rapprochement
On March 11, Syria welcomed the agreement reached between Iran and Saudi Arabia to reestablish relations and reopen their embassies saying it will lead to more stability in the region.
Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed Friday to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies after breakthrough talks in the Chinese capital Beijing. The agreement, which will decrease the likelihood of a conflict between the two countries, was a major diplomatic victory for China.
Saudi Arabia broke off ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters stormed Saudi diplomatic posts in Tehran. Riyadh had executed a prominent Shia cleric days earlier.
Syria’s Foreign Ministry welcomed the agreement in a statement that was published by the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency, calling it an “important step that will lead to strengthening security and stability in the region.”
It added that the agreement will also lead to cooperation that will “reflect positively on the common interests of the peoples of the two countries in particular and the peoples of the region in general.”
“Syria hopes that these efforts will continue to include the relations between our Arab countries and our friends in order to face the great challenges in today’s world,” the statement concludes.
After the outbreak of the war in Syria, Iran became a main backer of President Bashar Assad’s government, while Saudi Arabia supported rebels to remove him from power.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia began to take a more pragmatic stance on Syria. After the February 6 Turkish-Syria earthquake, which killed more than 50,000 people, Saudi Arabia delivered aid to government-held parts of Syria.
The Saudi agreement with Iran came following reports of ongoing efforts, led by the United Arab Emirates, to restore relations between the Kingdom and Syria.
After the announcement of the agreement, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud stressed that dialogue with Damascus is needed.
“We must find a way to overcome the challenges posed by the status quo with regard to the refugees and the humanitarian situation inside Syria. Therefore, we must find a new approach, and this will inevitably require dialogue with the government in Damascus. We and the Arab countries are working on appropriate formulas in consultation with our partners in the international community,” the minister told Al-Arabiya TV.
A rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Syria seems to be closer than ever. The kingdom’s influence in the Middle East and beyond could help bring the war in Syria to an end, or at least stabilize the situation in the country.
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