Araghchi’s diplomatic efforts in Riyadh
By Mohammad Bayat
Mideast affairs expert
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi flew to Saudi Arabia yesterday for a regional tour of the region that will take him other Arab countries, following his visits to Lebanon and Syria. The tour comes at a critical juncture, as the Middle East is grappling with a precarious and complex situation, with the threat of a large-scale war looming on the horizon, involving several countries. In fact, the region has not been this close to the brink of war in the past two decades.
In recent days, Araghchi has been emphasizing three key points of supporting the Resistance Front, countering a potential Israeli attack on Iran and striving to bring an end to the conflict and establish a cease-fire.
It appears that Araghchi’s regional tour serves two main objectives. Firstly, he aims to keep regional Arab countries, particularly Sunni-dominated nations led by Saudi Arabia, at a distance from Israel or at least urge them to maintain their neutrality.
Secondly, he seeks to forge a coalition to boost chances for a cease-fire. To this end, the top diplomat intends to launch a campaign involving major Arab countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan that have been calling for halting the conflict and establishing peace.
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