Saudi Crown Prince visits Gulf as Iran nuclear talks stall

In fact, Saudi ruler Prince Mohammed arrived in Oman on Monday to hold talks with the country’s ruler. His visit includes stops in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar for the first time since Riyadh and its regional allies settled disputes with Doha earlier this year.

The visits come after talks in Vienna last week between Iran, the US and other world powers to salvage a nuclear deal. Gulf states are not keen on a military confrontation with Tehran, but there are concerns that even if world powers agree a deal, Iran’s support for armed groups across the region and the deployment of drones and ballistic missiles could threaten their security. Will be

“Among the topics that will be discussed is how to effectively address the current Iranian threat,” a senior Saudi official said.

Yemen and other topics such as investment, food security and trade will also be discussed ahead of the Gulf Cooperation Council summit, which includes six Gulf countries, in Riyadh later this month, according to Gulf officials.

Saudi Arabia is struggling to get out of the war in Yemen, where it leads an Arab military coalition that has formed an internationally recognized government after the capital was captured by Houthi rebels allied with Iran in 2015. intervened to support. It is seeking to ensure support from Gulf allies as the Houthis gain new land around the strategic oil-rich city of Marib, near the Saudi border.

The US has encouraged its Gulf partners to present a united front on key issues such as Iran, which has gained new urgency in the region amid concerns that Washington is getting ready to focus on China. But Arab monarchies have struggled to come together to confront differing national interests. While Iran and Saudi Arabia are rivals, Tehran has deep trade ties with the United Arab Emirates and shares the world’s largest gas field with Qatar. Less powerful Kuwait and Oman have long tried to stay out of conflict, which has often helped them mediate territorial disputes.

Separately, the United Arab Emirates’ National Security Adviser, Sheikh Tahnnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, met with President Ibrahim Raisi in Tehran on Monday, becoming the most senior Emirati official to publicly visit the Islamic Republic in eight years. It follows a meeting between Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara last week, as the UAE seeks to de-escalate tensions with regional rivals.

Iran’s state television reported that Sheikh Tahnoun invited Mr Raisi to visit Abu Dhabi to mark a new chapter in the countries’ relations. The official Emirates News Agency said they had exchanged views on issues of common interest.

The Tehran visit is “a serious attempt to engage Iran and reach out to the new administration in Tehran,” said Abdulkhalek Abdullah, a prominent Emirati political scientist. “But that is not going to change the fact that Iran remains a constant threat to Gulf security.”

Prince Mohammed’s visit to the Gulf is the first significant foreign visit for the Saudi leader since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Apart from a brief visit to Egypt, she is largely hidden in a palace on the site of a future city in north-west Saudi Arabia or on her yacht in the Red Sea.

He hasn’t even visited the US or Europe since 2018, when he was sidelined by some Western governments over the killing of disgruntled journalist Jamal Khashoggi by government operatives. Saturday’s visit by French President Emmanuel Macron was the first to the state by a prominent Western leader since the assassination, which the prince has denied ordering. On Sunday, at the start of his high-profile week, Prince Mohammed took part in a Formula One race in the coastal city of Jeddah, where stars including Justin Bieber performed.

A Gulf official with knowledge of Prince Mohammed’s visit called it “making a statement” about Saudi Arabia’s regional leadership. The official said a unified approach towards Iran would be on the table.

According to Qatari officials, just ahead of Prince Mohammed’s visit to Qatar on Wednesday, Mr. Erdogan will also visit the country to discuss Turkey’s ties with the Gulf. “Both Erdogan and MBS have told the Qatari emir they want to restore strong ties and trade,” a senior Qatari adviser said.