TEHRAN(Bazaar) – John Dunn, professor of political science at the University of Cambridge says “Regional Dialogue Forum” is a real opportunity to generate less wasteful and destructive relations across the Persian Gulf region.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said: Looking at the importance of neighbors in Iran’s foreign policy and in line with strengthening the neighborhood policy of the 13th government, shortly after hosting the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia and the useful talks held in Tehran, I am going to Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and UAE in the southern part of the Persian Gulf. The conversation with the high-ranking officials and my counterparts in these countries was very positive, constructive and hopeful for everyone on both sides of the strategic water zone of the Persian Gulf, promising a “better, safer and more prosperous tomorrow” for the people who have bonds of mutual respect and kinship between them is rooted and deep.
He added: The Islamic Republic of Iran believes that creating a joint mechanism for dialogue and cooperation with the presence of all countries in the Persian Gulf strategic area is more necessary and fruitful than ever before. For this purpose, by welcoming the initiative of the Secretary General of the United Nations regarding the meeting of the foreign ministers of the region in New York, he proposed the idea of forming a “dialogue and cooperation forum” with the participation of all the countries of both the north and south of the Persian Gulf, and the documented and written details of it will also be published in the near future. We will present to all our southern neighbors. A better, safer and more prosperous tomorrow is the common right of all our people and the Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to increase its efforts for this purpose.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian recently embarked on a three-day diplomatic tour of key Arab countries in the Persian Gulf in an effort to build stronger ties and promote regional cooperation. Focusing on economic cooperation, his visit to Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman was an important step towards strengthening relations with Iran’s southern Arab neighbors. During this trip, he talked and exchanged opinions with key leaders, including the Emir of Qatar, the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, the Prime Minister of Kuwait and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman.
At the end of his regional trip, Amir-Abdollahian said in a statement expressing optimism about the future of these cooperations: Within the framework of economic and commercial cooperation, we will have very positive developments for our nation and the people of these four countries in the region.” He emphasized the importance of Iran for bilateral issues and emphasized on discussion and exchange of views with the focus on removing obstacles and strengthening cooperation in various areas including economy, trade, tourism, science, technology and other areas of mutual interest.
In this regard, Professor John Dunn, professor of political science at the University of Cambridge says: “I think this is a real opportunity to generate less wasteful and destructive relations across the region.”
He adds that “How far the opportunity will be taken will depend on the choices of the state leaders in question, but the opportunity is definitely there.”
“How far the diplomatic process in this space is tactical or strategic will be a choice over time by the state agents in question. There is no good reason why it should not be strategic (but of course lots of potential causes why it may not be in practice),” professor of political science at the University of Cambridge told Bazaar News Agency.
He says: “The country which has most to gain from a less fraught time in the region is Iran.”
