Outcome of Vienna talks directly affects Iran –Saudi negotiations: Professor
The Professor of Political Science at the University of Georgetown has said that Qatar can marginally play a positive role but it is unlikely that Oman will be replaced by Qatar regarding the U.S.-Iran ties in the long term.
Mehran Kamrava said in remarks to ILNA that the Saudi-Iran talks are not separable from the Vienna negotiations and Iraq’s internal developments.
“Maybe Iran wants to focus on the Vienna talks at first and then, in parallel with it, move forward with negotiating with Saudi Arabia,” he noted.
He pointed out that the areas that Iran and Saudi Arabia have competition on can become the areas of advancing their common interests and they can follow their win-win scenarios.
Kamrava insisted that it is in favor of all sides, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Lebanon that Bagdad and Beirut have political stability, adding that “As long as regional powers are engaged in competition, there will not be political stability in these countries even in Syria.”
He also emphasized that it's been years that Qatar tries to mediate between the U.S. and Iran but neither Iran accepted the Qatari mediation nor did the U.S.
“The reason was that the Omanis have a diplomatic manner but the Qataris are different and want to play the fundamental role,” he noted.
He concluded that Qatar can marginally play a positive role but it is unlikely to replace Oman on the U.S.-Iran ties in the long term.