The reopening of the Emirati embassy in Iran is a solution to the concern in the face of force majeure dynamics. For Abu Dhabi, stability and relaxation are valuable right now
On Sunday, August 21, the UAE announced that its ambassador to Iran, Saif Mohammed Al ZaabiShe will return to Tehran “in the next few days”, more than six years after the Gulf state sever ties with the Islamic Republic. Earlier this month, Kuwait officially reopened diplomatic bridges with Tehran.
This step is important, albeit completely in line with the Emirati activities, which have always aimed at restoring the relationship with Tehran – nine months ago, in one of the most important steps of this path, the UAE National Security Adviser, Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyanvisited the Iranian capital. In a statement on reopening the embassy, ​​the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the overall goal is “to achieve the common interests of the two countries and the region in general.”
Everything fits perfectly with the relaxing atmosphere that has prevailed in the Middle East and North Africa for months and months; A climate subject to specific forms of change, sometimes driven by the malign activities of the Pasdaran Party and related groups, which are alienated from this deterrent for ideological and economic reasons.
The UAE downgraded its relations with Iran as a result of the breakdown of Iranian relations with Saudi Arabia in January 2016. The move came in the wake of Iranian protesters’ attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran after Riyadh executed an important Shiite cleric.
At that time the Emirati and Saudi leaders, Mohammed bin Zayed And the Mohammed bin Salman (not yet ruler But they are able to fully influence the politics of their kingdoms), they sought a harsh confrontation with Tehran. Years later, an aggressive and hostile (by proxy) policy has not worked much, and while Abu Dhabi has officially reopened relations, Riyadh is also embarking on a complex path of dialogue – mediated by Iraq – with Tehran.
After years of hatred on different fronts of geopolitical rivalry, the UAE began re-engaging with Tehran in 2019, at a time when Washington’s exit from the nuclear agreement with Iran, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, has led to many tensions in the region. The Pasdaran took advantage of this to carry out their destabilizing agenda as well by launching attacks in Gulf waters, where Saudi energy sites ended up under Iranian-supplied missiles to Yemeni Houthi rebels – which also struck recently. UAE.
Currently, for Bin Zayed, this chaotic, insecure and unstable climate is severely altering the strategic interests that he is planning. The UAE goal is to consolidate its position as a global financial center, to drive economic activities throughout the world of international transport and logistics, to become a global tourism hub. Three strategic goals that ensure future differentiation from the oil and gas world, but which cannot be reconciled with an unstable framework – and Abu Dhabi’s destabilizing involvement. Moreover, the emirate of Dubai – the center of the Emirati global entertainment project – has long been one of Iran’s main links with the outside world.
From this distant, pragmatic viewpoint, the UAE has resumed tactical dialogue with Turkey and Qatar, the internal rivals of the Sunni world. Last year, Saudi Arabia, a Sunni Muslim power (driven by similar interests and forced in part to choose the emirate, Riyadh’s main regional partner) began the process of improving relations with Iran. There have been five rounds of direct talks so far, all in Baghdad. These dynamics are more complex than those with the Emirates of what the countries represent, the Sunni and Shiite poles.
All of this is happening while the Gulf states are watching the efforts of the European Union – and the US, Russia and China – to revive the JCPOA, which they view as flawed by not addressing Iran’s missile program and regional influence activities through parties/militias. The unscrupulous led by the Pasdaran. Face a new agreement to receive nuclear dealChoosing the path of dialogue is a solution in the face of force majeure dynamics.
