Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian, Jeddah, August 18, 2023
UPDATE, AUG 18:
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has hosted Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian in 90-minute talks in Jeddah.
Amir Abdollahian said the discussions “explicit, frank, fruitful, and productive based on neighborhood policy”.
The Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia can bring about further growth and prosperity to the region by improving comprehensive cooperation, including in the political, economic, commercial, transit, scientific and technological, cultural, and popular fields.
UPDATE, JUNE 19:
The first visit by a Saudi Foreign Minister to Iran since January 2016, when the two countries broke relations, has been undermined by a diplomatic incident.
Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud refused to attend a joint press conference, with Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian, because the room featured a photograph of the late Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani on the wall.
Soleimani was the commander of the Quds Force, the Revolutionary Guards branch for operations outside Iran. The Force’s regional activities, from Iraq to Yemen to Syria, often put it in conflict with the Saudis. Both Saudi Arabia and Bahrain labelled Soleimani as a “terrorist”.
Soleimani was assassinated in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport on January 3, 2020. The operation came soon after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi insurgents carried out attacks on Saudi oil tankers and facilities.
Amir Abdollahian confirmed that the press conference was moved to a different room in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. He continued to promote Soleimani as a symbol of “unity and brotherhood among the Islamic world”.
Saudi Arabia has not commented officially on the incident.
UPDATE, JUNE 17:
Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Tehran.
The visit is the first by a Saudi Foreign Minister since the two countries broke diplomatic relations in January 2016.
Having renewed links in March, Iran officially reopened its embassy in Saudi Arabia on June 7.
Bin Farhan will meet with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian.
UPDATE, APR 6:
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian and Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud have met in Beijing.
In a joint statement, the two Foreign Ministers agreed to the reopening of embassies in Tehran and Riyadh and consulates in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah and Iran’s Mashhad in the “agreed time”. Technical teams will examine expansion of cooperation, including the resumption of flights and travel visas.
Each Foreign Minister invited the other to bilateral meetings in Iran and Saudi Arabia.
#Iran and #SaudiArabia FMs sign a joint statement in the presence of #China FM. pic.twitter.com/HvyJ50IFVU
— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) April 6, 2023
ORIGINAL ENTRY, MARCH 10: Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to restore diplomatic relations that were broken in early 2016.
Embassies will be reopened in Tehran and Riyadh within two months. The countries agreed to respect state sovereignty and not interfere in each other’s internal affairs. A security cooperation agreement from 2001 will be reactivated.
The accord was announced in talks in Beijing, brokered by China’s top diplomat Wang Yi.. Iran is represented by Ali Shamkhani, the Secretary of the National Security Council.
#Iran & #SaudiArabia have agreed to resume bilateral ties within 2 months, & FMs will meet to prepare for the exchange of ambassadors, said a tripartite statement of Iran-Saudi Arabia-China following days of negotiations between SNSC secretary & his Saudi counterpart in Beijing. https://t.co/bbozZoUO6A pic.twitter.com/llZHthjmFE
— Abas Aslani (@AbasAslani) March 10, 2023
Iran and Saudi Arabia have been long-standing rivals in the Middle East. Tensions worsened in September 2015 when 464 Iranians were among more than 2,000 killed in a stampede in Mecca, and two months later with the Saudi execution of Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr al-Nimr.
Days later, a crowd attacked and set fire to the Saudi Embassy in Tehran, prompting Riyadh to break relations.
BRICS invites six countries including Saudi Arabia, Iran to be new members: https://www.reuters.com/world/brics-invites-six-countries-including-saudi-arabia-iran-be-new-members-2023-08-24/
“The BRICS group of nations has decided to invite six countries – Argentina, Egypt, Iran, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates – to become new members of the bloc, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Thursday.”
Islamic Republic: From Nation-State to Mafia State
https://iranwire.com/en/politics/119351-islamic-republic-from-nation-state-to-mafia-state/
Israel Did Not Kill Protesters But Iranian Regime Did – Sunni Leader
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202308186930
Raisi: Iran determined to nullify sanctions and thwart attempts to foster unrest: https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/486045/Tehran-able-to-thwart-sanctions-will-never-tie-growth-to-talks
“What is more important is for us to enhance the country to such level of strength that would render it immune to sanctions…..The enemy had sought to stop the country’s progress through hybrid war, but the people chose not to allow this progress to stop.”
“What is more important is for us to enhance the country to such level of strength that would render it immune to sanctions…..The enemy had sought to stop the country’s progress through hybrid war, but the people chose not to allow this progress to stop.”
So, fuck the country and people in it, you are already immune from sanctions living in UK
[Editor’s Note: “Up to 20 foreign spy services” — a good example of the Revolutionary Guards’ over-the-top propaganda (and, let’s be honest, lies) about the nationwide protests.
Maybe keep it real with “3 or 4 foreign spy services” next time.]
Decoding a failed collective plot: https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/486005/Decoding-a-failed-collective-plot
Up to 20 foreign spy services actively participated in the Western-backed riots in Iran last year, according to the head of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) intelligence organization. Based on his remarks, the U.S. authorities came up with three strategies to keep the riots going: creating an emotional climate following Amini’s death; transforming protest into unrest through daily strikes; and converting the mood of discontent into an armed movement by mobilizing armed groups…..Kazemi also stated that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had ratcheted up its activities to enhance the essential cyberspace platforms for disseminating news of the riots, including efforts to send technical equipment, escape tools, and lifting sanctions on mobile communication devices.”
Iran is pursuing its own financial messaging system (SEPAM) to replace SWIFT and advance de-dollarization with other countries: https://en.irna.ir/news/85136936/Iran-s-SEPAM-to-replace-SWIFT-in-trade-transactions-ACU-chief
The Raisi government is aiming to nullify sanctions and adopt a resistance economy immune to western pressure.
Prince Turk Al-Faisal of Saudi Arabia accepts that rapprochement with Iran is a good thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=19momP1bCy8
The prince has been a major critic of Tehran over the years.
“It says something when the “win” for Iran’s regime is oil exports of 1.5 million barrels per day”
These claims are backed only by wild guesstimates of observers who monitor shipping navigation and they only go month by month that can’t be verified. They are in large part are empty claims. Why the islamic state makes such a claims you may ask, there are several reasons including some for internal deceptions….I.e. based on claimed oil exports they claim there is money coming in and based on that claim they “print” baseless rials do they can get by one more day…..
[Editor’s Note: It says something when the “win” for Iran’s regime is oil exports of 1.5 million barrels per day — 40% *lower* than the level at the start of 2018.]
Iran’s Latest Wins: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2023-06-19/iran-oil-exports-rise-turkey-lira-try-usd-drops-saudi-arabia-s-tourism-push
Iran is also refining and exporting more petroleum products and petrochemicals than it did before 2018: https://moderndiplomacy.eu/2023/01/08/irans-lpg-exports-increase-86/
Ideally, Iran would refine all crude it produces which is of a higher value and can much more easily be sold. Sanctions are forcing Iran to do just that. This is another reason why Iran is better off trying to nullify sanctions rather than get them (temporarily) lifted.
Protesting Students Abducted By Plainclothesmen In Iran
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202306173765
Iran is constructing a new Middle East: https://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-is-constructing-a-new-middle-east/
“Iran has made a fundamental decision to lower tensions with Sunni Arab countries in order to focus on a strategy of building an anti-US axis. China’s support of Iran for renewed relations with Saudi Arabia is just a link in that chain. In a marked shift from the past, from the viewpoint of the Iranians, any positive relationship with a Sunni Muslim country serves their strategic interest, especially in light of the Abraham Accords that constricted Tehran’s efforts to widen its sphere of influence.”
IranWire Exclusive: Activist Hashemi Wants End To “Religious Government”
https://iranwire.com/en/politics/115276-iranwire-exclusive-activist-hashemi-wants-end-to-religious-government/
Iran Most Vulnerable In Middle East To Global Warming: Research
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202304058144
Someone should explain why Saudi Arabia, a far more inhospitable environment has better condition than iran…
“In Iran’s case, this number is currently 11 deaths per 100,000 people, which is five times the average of the Middle East, but it will reach 423 in the next four decades.
“This death rate would be reduced by more than 80% if global warming is limited to 2°C, [but] Iran currently has the highest heat-related death rate and will experience the greatest impacts between 2021 and 2100.”
According to the report, the Middle East is one of the most vulnerable parts of the world to global warming and climate change.
The report states that the number of annual deaths due to global warming in Iran is around 1,703 people meaning six times more than that of Saudi Arabia.”
Iran Arrest Parents, Brother Of Protester Killed By Agents
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202304057373
In other related news…Azerbaijan kicks out four iri diplomats from embassy in Baku accusing them of trying to kick start a coup
https://www.radiofarda.com/a/baku-says-arrested-a-group-who-plotted-to-overthrow-aliev-s-regime/32352268.html
[Editor’s Note: The important point from the December interview with historian Pouya Alimagham….
“Today’s uprising, while smaller at the moment, has been a continuous, daily movement — despite the government’s best attempts to violently put it down. As of now, the death toll is about four times higher than the casualty rate of the Green Movement, which was larger and longer but more sporadic.”]
More comparisons with the Green Movement of 2009 by a supporter: https://news.mit.edu/2022/qa-pouya-alimagham-protest-movement-iran-1206
“In sheer numbers, the Green Movement was far bigger. On just one day, June 15, 2009, 3 million people gathered in Tehran to protest the state — this sum does not include protests across the country on the same day. We have yet to see protests of that magnitude in the uprising today. What is markedly different between 2009 and now is the continuity of the protests today. ”
The “3 million” figure is grossly exaggerated….it was 300,000-500,000, but it shows that the WLF movement has never attracted mass support.
Two Detained Iranian Protesters Raped in Car, Group Says
https://iranwire.com/en/news/115272-two-detained-iranian-protesters-raped-in-car-group-says/
[Editor’s Note: The account is in the Hezbollah outlet al-Mayadeen. Readers can judge for themselves the real reason why commenter’s offer of “expert testimony” was not accepted by defendant’s lawyers]
Update on the appeal process for Hamid Nouri: https://english.almayadeen.net/news/politics/hamid-nouri-slams-swedish-sham-court-of-appeal-calls-it-unju
“Nouri’s son recounted the problems his father faced while trying to defend himself during his trial, including the fact that he was not able to have a lawyer of his choosing and was constantly interrupted and given much less time to defend himself against the accusations. We even had witnesses who wanted to come to the court and testify, but neither the public defenders allowed them to come nor the Swedish judicial system accepted the request….he said that the MKO faction’s propaganda offensive, which began after his father’s incarceration, scared many witnesses away from the case, revealing that “we talked to more than ten lawyers, many of whom were later threatened by the MKO.”
I should point out that I personally contacted Nouri’s old lawyers to give expert testimony, but they said the court would not allow me to do so and could not guarantee my safety in Stockholm.
Iran, US reach initial agreement for prisoner exchange (US denies): https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/03/12/699737/Iran-US–Amir-Abdollahian-prisoner-exchange-swap-JCPOA
““We reached an agreement in recent days on the issue of prisoner swap,” Amir-Abdollahian said on Sunday, adding that if everything goes well by the American side, the exchange would take place soon………..discussions about restoring the JCPOA, however, have been at a standstill since August 2022 due to Washington’s insistence on not lifting all of the anti-Iran sanctions and offering the necessary guarantees that it will not exit the agreement again.”
Rial continues to recover: https://www.bonbast.com/
The new currency and gold exchange appears to be working.
Rial surges to less than 450,000 to the USD: https://www.bonbast.com/
This comes as Iran restored relations with the UAE last year and there is a pending prisoner exchange planned with Belgium and possibly the United States also.
Excellent! The next step is to “restore relations ” with people of iran by getting lost, as the have stated it for years and have been killed for in thousands.
Raisi promised to improve relations with regional countries. That is a huge achievement for his adminstration. Previous governments focused on relations with the West, with Latin America, Russia and Africa but less so with US allies in the region. The rial is rising right now: https://www.bonbast.com/
“The countries agreed to respect state sovereignty and not interfere in each other’s internal affairs. A security cooperation agreement from 2001 will be reactivated….”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Scorpion_and_the_Frog
iri will not be iri without the thuggery.