Saudi- Iran Rapprochement: implications and Options for Pakistan

Introduction:

The rapprochement is a process noun

(especially in international relations) an establishment or resumption of harmonious relations:there were
signs of a growing rapprochement between the two countries. It’s synonyms: reuniting, reunion,
conciliation, reconcilement, pacification, appeasement, placating, propitiation or a friendly relationship
marked by ready communication and mutual understanding.

Implications are: noun

the conclusion that can be drawn from something although it is not explicitly stated:the implication is that
no one person at the bank is responsible. It’s synonyms: suggestion, inference, insinuation, innuendo, hint,
intimation, imputation, indication, connotation, overtone, undertone, hidden meaning, secondary
meaning etc.

Options are:

a thing that is or may be chosen: Example: “choose the cheapest options for supplying energy" it’s synonyms:
choice, alternative, recourse, possibility, course of action, freedom of choice, power to choose, right to choose etc.

Therefore the topic states the query as to what choices does Pakistan have in context to the resumption of
harmonious relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia and what are the conclusions which can be drawn
from this activity for various other segments of life.
The scheme of the speech:
The scheme shall be as follows:
1. The historical background of the Saudi Iran relationship
2. The current scenario of Saudi Iran relationship
3. Situation of Pakistan in Saudi Iran Tensions
4. The Future Scenario of The Saudi Iran Relationship
5. The implications of Rapprochement globally
6. The Rapprochement effects Regionally
7. The effects of Rapprochement on Pakistan
a. Socio Economic Impact
b. Cultural Impact
c. Peace in region
8. Conclusion

1. The historical background of the Saudi Iran relationship: The Kingdom of Persia, regularly
known as Ajam by the Arabs, has been a sore point for the Arabs to come to terms with.
The great Shia and Sunni Divide further estranges these countries. With Shia ties of Iran
and the Sunni ties of Saudia, this divide was in the recent years one the fueled many a
debacle. If we look at the recent decade, we would find the following important
milestones along the way.
 a. Arab Spring 2011: Saudia accused Iran of backing protestors against the Royal
Family in Bahrain and sent 1000 troops to subdue the protests.
b. Syrian War: the Syrian king was backed by the Iranian Government while the Saudia
backed the Sunni Rebels fighting against Bashar Al Asad and this gave rise to tensions.
This too was in 2011.
c. War in Yemen: As civil war erupted in Yemen, the Saudi Government hit out on the
Houthi Rebels who were aligned with Iran. This happened in 2015.
d. 2015 Mecca Stampede: in this incident more than 400 Iranian citizens were killed and
Iran accused Saudia of not being able to manage the event accordingly.
e. 2016: Saudia Cuts ties with Iran: 4 months after the satmpede, Saudia executed Nimar Al
Nimar a prominent Shia of Saudia and a critic of the Saudi Government. Iran protested
and Saudia Cut Bilateral relations with Iran.
f. 2016 Iran suspends Hajj Participation: as the tensions escalated, Iran suspended the Hajj
Participation of it’s citizens and Saudia launched a TV Channel in Persian covering the
event. Iran called upon the Muslim states to consider the end of Riyadh’s control over the
Harmain Sharifain.
g. 2017 Qatar Blockade: the Allies of Saudia came together and cut off Qatar saying that
Qatar was too close to Iran and was also involved in perpetrating terrorism. Doha
denounced the accusations and situation normalized only in 2021.
h. 2017 Labanese Prime Minister Resigns: astonishingly though this was done on the soil of
Riyadh and the Statement made was that the Labanese Prime Minister thought that his
country was gripped by Iran through Hizbollah. Although he later withdrew his
resignation, yet the damage was done.
i. 2017 Misaile intercepted over Riyadh: a few hours after the commotion caused by the
Labanese Prime Minister, Houthi Rebels launched a cruise missile which was intercepted
over Riyadh and Saudi Government stated that the missile was supplied by Iran and even
stated that it was an act of war against the Kingdom.
j. 2018 Further escalation: in 2018, USA backed out of the Iran Nuclear Deal and this was
praised by the Saudi Government which called the Supreme Iranian Leader as the new
Hitler and also a promise to go nuclear if Iran were to declare itself a nuclear power, in
minimum time.
k. 2019 Further escalation: in 2019, Houthi Rebels launched an attack upon the Saudi Oil
Refinery and cut the production to half with Missile attack. Saudi blamed the Iranian
Government while Houthi Rebels claimed the responsibility.
l. 2020 Qasim Sulemani killing: when Qasim Sulemani the Iranian General was killed in a
USA drone attack, the Saudi Media celebrated the news while it was official mourning in
Iran.
m. 2021 Iran and Saudi Arabia hold talks for the first time since cutting off relationship with
each other and Baghdad was the host of these talks.
n. 2022 five rounds of talks between Saudi and Iran hosted by Oman and Iraq were held,
paving way for the current scenario.
o. 2023 in February Iranian Leader visited China and the next month it was announced that
both countries would resume bilateral ties with each other.

2. The current scenario of Saudi Iran relationship: the Current scenario is of hope and peace and
prosperity as both the nations have come together after a long time and are now inching closer to
mutual benifite and trade. The governments of both the countries have realized how hard this
conflict has been for them and for their respective people. Apart from a constant pressure and
constant state of conflict, it is hard to maintain ready to fire arsenal at all times against a brotherly
 Islamic country. At the moment though, there is nothing more than the return of the Ambassadors
to the respective capitols of the two states. This also being a Chinese brokered deal, the seenario
has to be seen in light of the Chinese interests. Nevertheless the two countries had a pressure
from within for this peace to come forth as well. Need of the hour is that the regional powers
come together and resolve the lingering problems in the region like the Al Aqsa and the Israel
problem
3. Situation of Pakistan in Saudi Iran Tensions: Pakistan is in the hot waters due to the tensions
between the two countries and has had to take sides one or the other one which has been very
hard for this country. Both sides have large following in the country and the side taken against is
then to become a point of hurt and worry. This cold war leads to the very hot and angry
religiously motivated sectarian killings and terrorism from the two warring factions in Pakistan.
The situation is such that it cannot be controlled by any means when it becomes a menace. The
religious fervor is added upon by the soft and hard systematic support available to the two
countries in Pakistan and the bloodshed is raised many folds over.
4. The future senario of Saudi Iran relationship: the Future Scenario can be both bright and bleak
at the same time as the agreement is very fragile so not much hope can be placed on it, apart from
the fact that the rapprochement is a brokered deal by China and is not reflective of the demands of
the USA, which are very close to the Saudi Government which is a very important Allie of the
USA interests. Therefore unless there is something tangible for the USA in this agreement, it is
bound to fail one way or the other.
5. The implications of Rapprochement globally: The proxy wars that have been going on between
the two states, with Saudi Government irritated by the crescent of Shia influence around the
Saudi Arabia, it is high time for the resolution of the situation and for rapprochement. These
proxy wars have destabilized the whole global village on a large scale. Ranging from Syria down
to the Malysian region, the shock waves can be felt like sitting on top of the epicenter of such
tremors. This fanatic and farantic use of espionage and counter offensive in other countries would
ease up the population of the states around the world free from an agonizing terror of agent to
agent killings.
6. Rapprochement effects Regionally: the regional effects shall be more pronounced as there will
be relative peace in the region as the two states would come closer in terms of bilateral ties with
each other and also would mean the ushering in of a prosperous time for the region as trade tiies
are also bound to go up. This would strengthen the countries like Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Oman, Bahrain, African Countries like Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and also being in more focus
for the middle eastern problems like Israel and the Syrian conflict and shall enable the countries
to face the challenges of ISIS more effectively and efficiently. The rise of the Islamic state is seen
as a threat by the global village.
7. The effects of Rapprochement on Pakistan: the effects on Pakistan shall be significant as there
shall be a reduction in sectarian divide, less polarization, controlled religious hardliners, less
violent conditions, no embarrassed moments between the two countries being taken up by the
government, functional unity of the muti ethinic diaspora with multiple fissures at the helm,
better trading condition with Iran, a guiltless relationship with Saudia and a more peaceful
country overall.
a. Socio economic impact the first impact shall be socio economic impact upon the
Pakistan’s state, as there will be renewed interest in trading with Iran and to get low cost
oil from there and also in the trade of food grain for the shortage of the gas supplies that
have gone bad for Pakistan. This also means that there shall be trade between the two
countries for up lift of the Gawadar region and also for the betterment of the province of
Balochistan as a whole.
b. Cultural Impact: the cultural impact is going to be significant as the Pakistani people
would travel for religious tourism to both the countries and be free of the stigma attached
therewith of being biased and bigoted. The cultural impact would also see a change in the
 manner in which both countries see each other right now, i.e. hostiles. There shall be
greater harmony in the cultural fabric of Pakistan.
c. Peace in the region: above all rest, this aspect alone suffices the need of there being a
rapprochement between the two countries and amongst the top benificiaries of this
rapprochement shall be Pakistan which shall reap the fruits of regional peace and
prosperity after a long time. This would mean that Pakistan would be able to convert it’s
potential to the fullest in relation to the Iranian and Saudi economies. It shall also mean a
more robust and stable Pakistan as well, with lesser of the divide affecting it in its
national framework and fabric of it’s culture.

Conclusion: although it is still in infancy and is not backed by the USA, which holds a
great sway over the Saudi Royal Family and state, meaning thereby that the agreement is
fragile and frail, therefore not much hope can be associated with it, yet as a model
platform, it shall enable the region, along with the two countries to see better days instead
of bickering and bloodshot eyes staring at each other all the time. Pakistan is bound to
benifite from this scenario if it is going to prevail, with it’s cultural and socioeconomic
fabric intertwined with both the countries and the divide that affects them also affects
Pakistan. Trade would improve and Pakistan would have a strategic partner double in size
to any one of them being at its side. Saudi and Iran together make up not two but 11.
They are bothe powerful countries that command a lot of respect in the international
arena. Their unity can herald in the era of Muslim Unity and prosperity with combined
and unified efforts towards the solution to problems such as Israel and other national
threats to both the countries like ISIS and the like. It is the best of times and it is the
worst of times.