The recent footage of a military officer of Saudi Arabia warmly welcoming a diplomat from Iran has confirmed that the long-standing rivalry between the two countries has more or less dissipated. The video shows the Saudi officer, Major General Ahmed Al-Debais, hugging and embracing Iranian diplomat Hassan Zarangar after a meeting reportedly at King Abdullah Airbase. This comes after the Iranian foreign ministry applauded the Saudi government for its efforts in rescuing Iranians from Sudan.
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Maj Gen Al-Debais said the two countries were "good friends and brothers" and Iranians "should regard the kingdom as their own country". He also told the Iranian diplomat that Saudi king Salman, Saudi crown prince and prime minister Mohammad bin Salman, who is also the defense minister of the kingdom, had instructed him to "take care of you and provide you with all what you need". "We are happy to have you with us,” Al-Debais told Zarangar.
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The incident is the latest in a series of bilateral thaws coming after years of diplomatic tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran, who have been locked in a bitter power struggle for regional influence. The two countries are still at odds over a range of issues, including Iran's nuclear program, the ongoing civil war in Syria, and Iran's alleged support for armed groups in Yemen and Lebanon. This confrontation had divided the region, and the wider Muslim world, along sectarian lines as well: Saudi Arabia is a Sunni nation, while Iran is predominantly Shi'ite.
In April, the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers met in China and announced that they were exploring ways to restore and further improve bilateral relations. The first high level meeting between ministers from the two countries was welcomed as a new beginning.
The video has been widely shared on social media, with many users speculating on the significance of the exchange. Even though many netizens in the Middle East are celebrating the continued diplomatic exchanges between the two countries, others have suggested that this bonhomie is mostly due to good performance in emergency operations during the ongoing Sudan crisis. Most analysts purport that this improvement must be viewed in the context of implications in the broader Saudi-Iran bilateral relationship, specifically in terms of a goodwill gesture to get Iran to cooperate vis-a-vis its 'Axis of Resistance'.
The meeting is likely to be closely watched by policymakers around the world, as both Muslim powers continue to explore ways to improve relations under an agreement negotiated by the Chinese. The prospect of a rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran could have significant implications for the wider region, and could help reduce the risk of further conflict and instability.