By Parisa Hafezi
DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran has requested Saudi Arabia to steer the U.S. to revive stalled nuclear talks, underlining Tehran’s nervousness over a doable repeat of Israeli airstrikes and its deepening financial woes, two regional sources with data of the matter mentioned.
A day earlier than Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s go to to the White Home earlier this week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian despatched a letter to the de facto Saudi chief, Iranian and Saudi media reported on Monday.
Within the letter, Pezeshkian mentioned Iran “doesn’t search confrontation”, desires deeper regional cooperation and stays “open to resolving the nuclear dispute by way of diplomacy, offered its rights are assured”, the sources advised Reuters.
Iranian Overseas Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei mentioned on Wednesday that Pezeshkian’s message to the Saudi crown prince was “purely bilateral”. The Saudi authorities media workplace didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITES BOMBED IN JUNE
Previous to the 12-day battle in June triggered by Israeli airstrikes, throughout which U.S. forces struck three Iranian nuclear websites, Iran and the U.S. held 5 rounds of talks on the Islamic Republic’s contentious uranium enrichment programme.
Because the battle, the negotiations have hit an deadlock, at the same time as each side insist they continue to be open to a deal.
One of many sources within the Gulf mentioned Iran is in search of a channel to reopen talks with Washington, and that the Saudi chief additionally favours a peaceable answer and conveyed that message to U.S. President Donald Trump throughout his go to.
“MbS (crown prince) additionally desires this battle to be over peacefully. That is necessary to him, and he relayed this to Trump and mentioned he is able to assist,” the Arab Gulf supply mentioned.
On Tuesday, the Saudi ruler advised reporters: “We are going to do our greatest to assist attain a deal between america and Iran.”
Riyadh and Tehran have been long-time strategic rivals within the Center East, typically backing opposing sides in regional proxy wars, till a China-brokered rapprochement in 2023 eased hostilities and restored diplomatic relations.
Saudi Arabia’s rising political weight has made it an more and more decisive actor in regional diplomacy. Its deep safety ties with Washington – and significantly the management’s shut relationship with Trump – endow Riyadh with leverage few others within the Center East possess.
In the meantime, Iran’s regional standing has weakened over the previous two years from devastating navy blows inflicted by Israel on its allies Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, and the autumn of its shut ally, Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.
“Shifting mediation channels from international locations equivalent to Oman and Qatar to Saudi Arabia – a rustic with structural energy, direct affect within the U.S. and a sensible resolve to scale back tensions – is one of the best strategic choice beneath present circumstances,” mentioned Hamid Aboutalebi, a former senior Iranian diplomat.
“These traits make Saudi Arabia an efficient mediator and a real channel for conveying messages, a place that neither Oman nor Qatar nor the Europeans possess,” Aboutalebi wrote on X.
On condition that it’s in search of to ascertain its personal uranium enrichment programme, Saudi Arabia has an curiosity in selling a U.S.-Iranian nuclear deal, mentioned Firas Maksad, Washington-based managing director at consulting agency Eurasia Group.
Throughout MbS’s Washington go to, he and Trump signed a declaration to finish talks on a civilian vitality programme, with out saying whether or not Riyadh would be capable to enrich.
“The Saudi quest for enrichment is said to U.S.-Iran nuclear diplomacy,” Maksad mentioned. “Saudi has an curiosity in selling the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks by way of a quiet back-channel.”
IRAN, U.S. SAY THEY BACK DIPLOMACY, BUT DEMANDS CLASH
The stakes for reviving nuclear diplomacy are excessive.
Circumstances set by Tehran’s clerical institution and the Trump administration stay sharply at odds, and a failure to slim variations dangers igniting a brand new regional battle.
Gulf states, cautious of being dragged right into a broader battle if Israel strikes Iran once more, have beforehand acted as intermediaries – significantly Qatar and Oman.
Iran accuses Washington of “betraying diplomacy” by becoming a member of its shut ally Israel within the June battle, and insists that any deal should raise U.S. sanctions which have crippled its oil-based economic system. Washington, in the meantime, calls for that Tehran halt uranium enrichment on its soil, curb its ballistic missile programme and cease backing regional militia proxies – phrases Iran has rejected.
Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have warned they won’t hesitate to strike Iran once more if it resumes enrichment, a possible pathway to growing nuclear bombs.
Western powers and Israel accuse Tehran of utilizing its declared civilian nuclear programme as a canopy for growing bomb materials. Iran says it seeks solely peaceable atomic vitality and vows a “crushing response” to any extra Israeli aggression.
ECONOMIC ISOLATION, PUBLIC ANGER PUSH RULERS TO SHIFT COURSE
Iranian Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, a hardliner who has the ultimate say on overseas coverage and the nuclear programme, has dominated out negotiations beneath menace.
“They wish to impose their calls for and advance their objectives by way of navy and financial strain. This method is unacceptable, and Iranians won’t undergo it,” he mentioned.
However that line-in-the-sand method doesn’t lower it for a lot of extraordinary Iranians combating the privations of day by day life.
The economic system is buckling beneath a collapsingcurrency, hovering inflation and continual shortages of home vitality and water – mainly pushed by years of mismanagement and sanctions.
Hemmed in by mounting public anger and the chance of additional Israeli assault if nuclear diplomacy fails, Iran’s clerical elite is scrambling for a breakthrough with Washington to ease its crushing financial isolation, two senior Iranian officers, who like others spoke on situation of anonymity, advised Reuters.
Kamal Kharrazi, a senior adviser to Khamenei, final week appealed to Trump to pursue “real talks with Iran grounded in mutual respect and equality”, in keeping with Iranian state media.
(Reporting and writing by Parisa Hafezi; further reporting by Samia Nakhoul and Timour Azhari; enhancing by Mark Heinrich)