The simmering tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, with their baggage of longstanding sectarian and geopolitical rivalry, threatened to be a source of great destabilisation in the region. Indeed, Pakistan, with its substantial Shia population and by virtue of sharing a contiguous border with Iran, was particularly caught in the crosshairs as the fears of an internal sectarian discord were a cause of grave concern. But it appears that Pakistan’s self-appointed role as a conflict mediator is beginning to pay dividends, as Prime Minister (PM) Nawaz Sharif has concluded his two-legged tour of Saudi Arabia and Iran on an optimistic note. The PM was accompanied on this journey by the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Raheel Sahrif and the PM’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, along with an entire entourage consisting of key officials involved with Pakistan’s security and foreign policies. The high profile and expansive nature of the PM’s touring party not only conveyed the urgency and seriousness with which Pakistan was treating the task of resolving the differences between the two rival countries but also showed that Pakistan was mindful of clearing any misunderstandings and misgivings either of the two countries might have about its own role. The PM held meetings with Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani, First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri and Defence Minister Hossein Dehghan. Meanwhile, the COAS also held a separate meeting with the Iranian Defence Minister as well as one with the country’s Secretary of National Security Council. The PM told reporters that in both his earlier meetings with the Saudi leadership and his subsequent meetings with the Iranian leadership, it was emphasised by both countries that they did not want any escalation of tensions. Saudi Arabia had previously conveyed to the PM that they were open to a resumption of diplomatic ties with Iran if the latter showed positive signs. President Rouhani of Iran was less tentative and observed that Iran wanted “an expansion of ties” but on the condition that “Muslim rights be respected and nations of the region [are] honoured”. Showing themselves to be more proactive in the desire to de-escalate tensions than their Saudi counterparts, the Iranians readily agreed to the suggestion of the Pakistani touring party to designate “focal persons” who will then be tasked with pushing the process of reconciliation forward. The PM remains hopeful that Saudi Arabia too will name someone for this purpose.
The proposal to appoint these “focal persons” is indeed a welcome development, and nothing more substantive could have been expected of these brief but necessary twin trips by the PM. The matter of resolving the tension between the two countries is not a simple one and will require a detailed and persistent engagement. It is not feasible, however, for Pakistan’s top brass, or indeed the heads of state of Saudi Arabia and Iran, to be continually following up on the new developments so the proposal to appoint dedicated officials for the purpose is an eminently sensible one. As mentioned earlier, it is notable that Iran has been far more amenable to the process of reconciliation, but it also makes a certain amount of sense because, lest we forget, the escalation of tensions was the consequence of Saudi Arabia’s provocative execution of a prominent Shia cleric who had been critical of the regime. President Rouhani and his government will also be mindful of Iran’s need to prioritise good and effective diplomacy since the country is in the process of being internationally reintegrated after agreeing to the nuclear deal. Now much depends on the response by Riyadh to this overture by Pakistan and Iran. It is hoped that in line with PM Nawaz Sharif’s optimistic reading of the last two days, Saudi Arabia confirms that its assurances to the Pakistani contingent about wanting a normalisation of relations were sincere and appoints its own focal person. While the material results of the PM’s excursions still remain to be seen, it should be acknowledged that Pakistan has played a laudable role by attempting to defuse the potentially explosive situation. The relative success of this trip confirms once again that the neutral stance taken by Pakistan was the right one, since it was the best placed state to stand up and play this essential diplomatic role. http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/21-Jan-2016/conflict-resolution
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