Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reestablish diplomatic relations and reopen embassies after seven years of tensions.
China’s foreign minister has warned Washington of "conflict and confrontation" if it fails to change course in relations with Beijing. Christopher Heurlin, Associate Professor of Government and Asian Studies at Bowdoin College, joined LiveNOW from FOX's Josh Breslow to discuss those comments.
Xi, whose administration in recent days has relaunched a campaign to challenge the U.S.-led Western liberal order with warnings of "conflict and confrontation," was credited in a trilateral statement with facilitating the talks through a "noble initiative" and having personally agreed to sponsor the negotiations that lasted from Monday through Friday.
Iran's state-run IRNA news agency quoted Shamkhani as calling the talks "clear, transparent, comprehensive and constructive." Tensions long have been high between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The kingdom broke ties with Iran in 2016 after protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts there. Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shiite cleric with 46 others days earlier, triggering the demonstrations.
Religion also plays a key role in their relations. Saudi Arabia, home to the cube-shaped Kaaba that Muslims pray toward five times a day, has portrayed itself as the world’s leading Sunni nation. Iran’s theocracy, meanwhile, views itself as the protector of Islam’s Shiite minority. "This dialing down of tensions and de-escalation has been underway for three years and this was triggered by Saudi acknowledgement in their view that without unconditional U.S. backing they were unable to project power vis-a-vis Iran and the rest of the region," he said.
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