Daily Times

The last few dances of shadow diplomacy between Iran and Saudi Arabia seem to have won hearts on both sides. Unity and dialogue, preached Iran’s foreign minister during a first visit to Saudi Arabia ever since a China-brokered deal established normalcy between long-time rivals. The two countries had severed ties in 2016 over an attack on the Saudi diplomatic mission in Iran as an implication of protests over an execution of a Shia cleric in Riyadh. That Mr Amir-Abdollahian stood before a press conference to predict how his appearance at the Saudi Foreign Ministry would serve as “a prelude to the meeting of the heads of the two countries,” carries in itself a multi-layered message for the upcoming dynamic of the budding relationship. By setting aside differences and focusing on common interests, such as regional security, economic development, and countering extremism, both nations can contribute to a more stable and prosperous Middle East. The detente between Saudi Arabia and Iran–though extremely fragile due to many points of friction–is expected to have important implications for the rest of the world. Therefore, the international community, taking cues from the US and China, should support and encourage this positive trajectory.

For now, cautious smiles and nuanced traditions are busy sorting matters related to Yemen and disputed natural resources. There still remains a need to look past sectarian divides and promote religious tolerance and coexistence by emphasizing shared Islamic values and promoting interfaith dialogue.

Meanwhile, Pakistan stands at a distance, apparently aloof from the historic developments in its backyard. It would have been an excellent use of the foreign office for us to move beyond our status as a proxy battlefield and gain from projects like the Iran-Pakistan Gas Pipeline and trade and energy corridors as part of the new Silk Roads. *