A new round of talks between the Saudis and the Iranians will take place in Baghdad soon

[size=52]A new round of talks between the Saudis and the Iranians will take place in Baghdad soon[/size]

[size=45]Translated by Hamid Ahmed[/size]
[size=45]A first round of direct talks between the two regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, held in Iraq, indicated the possibility of easing tensions after years of resentment that always cast a shadow over neighboring countries.[/size]
[size=45]The talks that Iraq hosted earlier this month were confirmed to the Associated Press on Tuesday by an Iraqi official and a Westerner in Baghdad. These talks come at a time when the Biden administration is paving the way to reopen diplomatic channels in the region. Saudi Arabia is reassessing its regional position after losing its firm support to Donald Trump and handing over the presidency to Joe Biden.[/size]
[size=45]As for Iran, on the other hand, it found that the gradual detente with Saudi Arabia, the eternal ally of the United States, may have its results in its favor during renewed talks on the nuclear file with Washington and other major countries. Saudi Arabia has sought to hold talks with Iran at a time when it is trying to end its years-long war in Yemen against the Houthi factions backed by Iran. Ending that war may be a deal breaker for the Iranians as they seek relief from sanctions against them through the Vienna nuclear talks.[/size]
[size=45]Hosting the Saudi-Iranian talks is a very important step for Iraq, which has relations with both the United States and Iran and which has always bore the brunt of the conflict with the Iranians. A senior Iraqi official said that the recent visits of Prime Minister Mustafa Al-Kazemi to Riyadh and the UAE were a major factor in bringing Iranian and Saudi interlocutors to the negotiating table. Details of the preliminary meeting, which was first disclosed by the Financial Times, were sparse and limited. The Iraqi official revealed that the thorny issue of the Yemen war was what was prominent in the talks.[/size]
[size=45]The consequences of the Saudi-Iranian conflict have affected several regional countries, especially in Yemen, as well as Iraq and Lebanon, which include armed factions backed by Iran. A breakthrough in the talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran may have far-reaching repercussions in those countries and the region as a whole.[/size]
[size=45]It is not clear if there has been progress in these talks, or how much progress has been made, but a Western diplomat expected that there will be other meetings. The Lebanese newspaper, Al-Akhbar, which is close to Iran, reported that a new round of talks would be held in Baghdad next week, following a "very positive" meeting, as it described it. The Western diplomat, who asked not to be named, said, "My understanding of the matter is that these discussions will be ongoing and mediated by Baghdad." Neither Saudi Arabia nor Iran provided an official confirmation that the talks took place, although Iranian officials erased and welcomed them. The Iranian ambassador to Iraq, Ayrj Masjedi, praised Baghdad's recent diplomatic efforts on Tuesday, alluding to the Saudi-Iranian talks without indicating the name of the kingdom. "It seems that the regional and international situation has created a more positive atmosphere to solve some of the problems between Iran and other countries," Masjedi said in an interview with Iran's IRNA News Agency from Baghdad. We will be happy if Iraq can play any role in the direction of Iran's rapprochement with countries with which we have some challenges. ” When asked whether the mediation of Iraq resulted in some fruits, he said that the talks "did not reach any clear result and did not achieve any significant progress."[/size]
[size=45]Iraq had previously presented itself as a mediator between Iran and Saudi Arabia since relations between the two countries deteriorated further in 2016 after Saudi Arabia executed the Shiite cleric Nimr al-Nimr, and Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Tehran after Iranian protesters attacked the Saudi embassy in Tehran and its consulate in Mashhad.[/size]
[size=45]On the other hand, there are changes taking place in Iran regarding its handling of the Iraq file, which also played a role. The intelligence arm of the Revolutionary Guards had dominated its influence in Iraq during the era of General Qassem Soleimani. But an Iraqi official says that after the killing of Soleimani, the Ministry of Intelligence there has emerged as the largest of the Guards' intelligence force.[/size]
[size=45]The Ministry of Intelligence represents the moderate side that is linked to President Hassan Rouhani, in contrast to the hard-line intelligence. While cooperating, the two agencies are considered rivals within the religious government. Iraqi officials mentioned that this change in the guard was a major factor in bringing the Iranians to the dialogue table in Baghdad.[/size]
[size=45]"They have a new view of Iraq, new words, they want a stronger Iraq," said one of the Iraqi officials, speaking of Iranian intelligence ministry officials. As for the Guard, their calculations differ. They wanted the opposite. A weak Iraq is more beneficial to them.[/size]
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