Jumblatt Urges Saudi-Iranian Dialogue

Top Lebanese Druze politician Walid Jumblatt called on Saudi Arabia to enter into dialogue with Iran and said the kingdom’s modernization plans could not work while Riyadh was engaged in a war in Yemen. The two regional powers back opposing sides in Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. “A settlement at minimum with the Islamic Republic gives us in Lebanon more strength and determination to cooperate to enforce the policy of disassociation,” Jumblatt wrote in a Tweet on Saturday, as cited by Reuters. “Disassociation” is widely understood in Lebanon to mean its policy of staying out of regional conflicts. The Saudi policy of confronting Iran more aggressively around the region has been spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman who is also embroiled in a domestic campaign to fight corruption and gain an upper hand. Riyadh has mobilized the support of regional lackeys to wage an unequal war against Yemen to restore fugitive president Abd-Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to power and imposed a land and air blockade against Qatar for not toeing the Saudi line. Analyss believe the crown prince has bitten off more than he can chew. The extent of Saudi role in the Nov. 4 resignation announcement by Prime Minister Saad al-Hariri in Riyadh has been widely debated in Lebanon and stoked fears of Saudi attempts to destabilize their country. Addressing bin Salman, Jumblatt said, “The challenges are tremendous and the modernization of the kingdom is an Islamic and Arabic necessity, but this mission cannot be successful while the Yemen war continues.”