Pakistan Wants to Mediate Iran-Saudi Rapprochement

[sanjay]

Pakistan is trying to mediate a rapprochement between regional rivals Iran and Saudia Arabia, both of whom it needs help from, so that it can better control Afghanistan.



Meanwhile, Indian babus are probably sleeping on this.

 

[Dovah]

Saudi's won't fall for it again. Ahmadinejad is smarter than we all give him credit for. None of the countries(except Pakistan) have anything to gain from this mediation and hence this would go nowhere, we might be sleeping on it, the U.S ain't.

 

[ejazr]

This is really speculation on STRATfor's part.

From what you read from Saudi papers and even Pakistani journalists (who don't' indulge in rumor mongering), this was to placate the Saudis that Pakistan becoming closer to Iran is not against Saudi Arabia. The number one concern was Afghanistan along with the usual requests from the Saudis to "invest" more and basically give more aid. Since Zardari came to power, the Saudis have pretty much turned off the aid channels and other than the humanitarian aid during 2010 floods, nothing has come through.

If you look at the recent moves that Pakistan has been making vis a vis Iran, it is basically defying Saudi concerns and pressures to build a sustainable relationship with Iran. The gas pipeline, co-operation in Afghan endgame with Iran as well as a rapprochement on counter terrorism and sectarian (shia-sunni) state sponsored violence are all happening while the Saudis are left out between these discussions.

So Zardari placating the Saudis is the main factor along with asking for their support in protecting Pakistani interests in Afghanistan endgame. There is a Afghan conference coming up in Turkey soon and we will pretty much know what the final positions are of most countries there.

 

[Blackwater]

Well they have the right. They are the Thakedars of Alami Islam..