Kuwaiti overtures to Tehran

Conceivably, of wars there can be no positive outcomes. To this, the ongoing civil war in Syria is no exception - except for the growing realisation among the principal foreign sponsors that the winners, so far, are the extremists and not their proxies. Clearly reflecting this concern, the joint statement issued at the conclusion of Emir of Kuwait's landmark visit to Tehran takes notice of 'growing threat of extremism, violence and sectarian conflicts in the region' and stressed the need to promote moderation. That a kind of comprehension that sect-based extremism is a common threat to political stability in countries on both sides of the Gulf is a growing realisation; of course, the credit for this mainly goes to a moderate Iranian president Hassan Rouhani. Since his election last June Iran has set about mending fences with regional countries, particularly the Sunni Arab monarchies and sheikhdoms, initiated contacts with a hostile West and invited international scrutiny to attest its claim that its nuclear programme is only for peaceful purposes. President Rouhani has already paid a return visit to Oman. But it's the visit of Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah over the weekend that tends to be the much awaited thaw in ties between Tehran and the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries. Kuwait has a sizeable Shia population and its relations with Iran in recent years were never tense yet it is Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad's first visit to Tehran since he became emir in 2006. His visit was described by the joint statement 'an important turning point in the relations between the two countries'. The host government briefed the emir on negotiations between Iran and the Group (5+1) on Iran's nuclear file, with Hassan Rouhani stressing the 'need to forge ahead the negotiation process'. Not only does the West question Tehran's claim that its nuclear programme is entirely peaceful, the Arab states also entertain doubts about the Iranian claim. No wonder then Tehran saw to it that the Emir of Kuwait should be taken into confidence on this issue. The Iranian foreign minister has already visited some other GCC members, including the United Arab Emirate, and conveyed Tehran's determination to improve mutual trust and restore normalcy shattered by the regional stakeholders' conflicting perspectives on issues like Syrian civil war, increasing sectarian tensions in Iraq, situation in Egypt and the Middle East peace process. But what makes the Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad's visit to Tehran a real game-changer is his offer to Iranian leadership to 'mediate' between Riyadh and Tehran. Riyadh is at odds with Iran 'over the war in Syria, in which Tehran backs the government and Saudi Arabia the rebels, as well as its involvement in Iraq, Bahrain and other countries in the region'. But the situation is not too grave to warrant some initiatives - Saudi Arabia has invited Iranian foreign minister Mohammad Javad Zarif to the OIC foreign ministers meeting. Tehran has welcomed 'friendly' invitation, but Zarif may not be able to attend the OIC meeting in Jeddah as it coincides with scheduled next round of nuclear talks with world powers in Vienna. Of course, election of a moderate Rouhani has set the stage for turning the page on bitter past but no less critical is the growing sense of appreciation among the countries on both sides of the Gulf that an inevitable by-product of their mutual rivalries and animosities is sectarian extremism. That sectarian stride has a dangerous potential to overwhelm the prevalent political orders is a fact that has found its best expression in the current turmoil in Iraq and the simmering Syria cauldron.