Moscow Fit to Mediate in Tehran-Riyadh Tensions

Russia is well-positioned to mediate between Tehran and Riyadh, which have been locked in a bitter feud over the past few years, a lawmaker said.

“Russia has the capacity to mediate between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” Shahrouz Barzegar also said in a Wednesday interview with ICANA.

Salman bin Abdulaziz, who ascended the Saudi throne in January 2015, has abandoned the traditionally conservative foreign policy and adopted an aggressive policy against Iran, accusing it of sponsoring terrorism and aspiring to dominate the region.

Riyadh cut bilateral diplomatic ties in early 2016, following the storming of its embassy in Tehran by protesters enraged over the Saudi execution of prominent Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr without due process.

“In order to restore bilateral ties, Saudis are bound to abandon their hostile and extremist moves,” Barzegar said.

Iran has repeatedly called for dialogue aimed at settling differences, but the Saudis have spurned the overtures.

Analysts believe a normalization of ties between the two powerhouses could have profound impact on the region deeply embroiled in conflicts, particularly the lingering crises in Syria and Yemen.