Iran’s Arab neighbors keep reservations quiet over nuclear deal

[BLACKEAGLE]

Iran’s Arab neighbors, deeply uneasy about Tehran’s diplomatic rehabilitation, kept their reservations quiet on Sunday after Iran reached a nuclear deal with global powers.

Iran’s only two Arab friends - Iraq and Syria - were quick to praise the deal, as was the Palestinian Authority which welcomed it for putting pressure on Israel.

Other Arab states have done little to hide their deep scepticism in recent weeks, but mostly managed to keep their wariness to themselves on Sunday, and some eventually spoke out in support.

The king of Iran’s main regional rival, Saudi Arabia, and the rulers of Kuwait and Qatar, who warily view Tehran, held talks overnight but none had issued an official response by midday. Their fellow Gulf Arab states, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, did however welcome the deal.

“The cabinet hopes this would represent a step towards a permanent agreement that preserves the stability of the region and shield it from tension and the danger of nuclear proliferation,” the UAE said in a statement.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al-Khalifa also welcomed the accord: “The agreement removes fears from us, whether from Iran or any other state.”

All Arab countries apart from Syria and Iraq are ruled by Sunni Muslims who mainly regard Shiite Iran as a foe and have been alarmed by the prospect of any rapprochement with the West that would benefit Tehran.

Arab rulers worry that the deal, under which Iran is being given relief from sanctions in return for curbs to its nuclear programme, signals a thaw in the 30 years of hostility between Tehran and Washington which will give Iran more regional clout.

“I am afraid Iran will give up something on [its nuclear programme] to get something else from the big powers in terms of regional politics. And I’m worrying about giving Iran more space or a freer hand in the region,” said Abdullah al-Askar, chairman of the foreign affairs committee of Saudi Arabia’s appointed advisory Shoura Council.

“The government of Iran, month after month, has proven that it has an ugly agenda in the region, and in this regard no one in the region will sleep and assume things are going smoothly.”

When he spoke Saudi Arabia had yet to give an official response and Askar stressed he was giving his personal views.

Fronts
The Gulf states oppose Iran on countless fronts across the region, including Syria, where some states fund and arm rebels fighting against Iran’s friend, President Bashar al-Assad. They also accuse Tehran of fomenting unrest in countries including Yemen, Bahrain, Lebanon and Iraq. Iran denies such meddling.

Israel has pointed out that the Iran accord is one of the rare issues that put many Arab leaders on the same side as the Jewish state, which lobbied hard against what Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a “bad deal”.

The Palestinian Authority praised the accord, which it sees as a welcome evidence of Washington taking diplomatic action in spite of Israeli resistance.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s spokesman Nabil Abu Rdaineh said it sent an “important message to Israel, to realise that peace is the only choice in the Middle East” and should galvanise world powers to push for a Palestinian-Israeli deal.

He also said Palestinians want “a Middle East that is free of nuclear weapons”. Israel is presumed to have the region’s only nuclear arsenal, which it neither confirms nor denies.

Iraq, which has a Shi’ite-led government and is the only Arab state openly friendly with both the United States and Iran, was quick to praise the agreement. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hailed “a major step for the region’s security and stability.”

The Syrian government of Assad, a longtime ally of Iran and a member of the Alawite sect that is an offshoot of Shi’ite Islam, also praised a deal it said proved the importance of diplomacy to resolve regional disputes.

Saudi Arabia and other Sunni-ruled countries have expressed unease in recent months over what they see as a recalibration of U.S. policy, especially since Washington abandoned plans to strike Syria to punish it for a chemical weapons attack.
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/per...eep-reservations-quiet-over-nuclear-deal.html

 

[Doritos11]

al arabiya article, no wonder I read trash

 

[haman10]

persian gulf arabs are on fire

 

[Ghulam-Alazhar]

Some of them doesn`t have brain.That`s thier main problem

 

[Genesis]

IF anybody can't be pissed it's the Israelis, I mean they are the only country other than America perpetually in a state of war. Being Jewish I though they would know about the horrors of war, but I guess not.

The Crusade's over dude, I guess nobody told them that.

Maybe Iran having the bomb and being powerful can balance the Israelis and finally bring peace to the middle east. And kick Americans out.

 

[ResurgentIran]

Iraq, which has a Shi’ite-led government and is the only Arab state openly friendly with both the United States and Iran, was quick to praise the agreement. Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki hailed “a major step for the region’s security and stability.”

False. Iran has VERY good relations with Oman. And low and behold, Oman is SUNNI. I know how important that is to you people.
Oman has traditionally been an important mediator between Washington and Tehran, and keeps warm and cordial relations with both.

Rest of the article is also garbage.

 

[[Bregs]]

What else they can do except keeping mum when deal is clinched by Uncle Sam and western powers on whom they are total dependent on all arms imports and there own security

 

[MrShabi2010]

Some of them doesn`t have brain.That`s thier main problem

#Offtopic..... Nice Signature :3

 

[Ghulam-Alazhar]

#Offtopic..... Nice Signature :3

Thank U brother.everybody that are not shia are in loss

 

[BLACKEAGLE]

Thank U brother.everybody that are not shia are in loss

.

 

[MrShabi2010]

Thank U brother.everybody that are not shia are in loss

Please avoid such sensitive topics and stick to the thread

 

[Ghulam-Alazhar]

We and Arabs have commen Enemy.its better set aside differences and jahad for God to free first ghibla of Muslems QODS and the occupied country Palestinian.We are all Muslim we must fight against enemy not ourselves beacuse we are all muslim.Our enemy is us and israel.

 

[haman10]

Thank U brother.everybody that are not shia are in loss

dude !! chill out

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

We and Arabs have commen Enemy.its better set aside differences and jahad for God to free first ghibla of Muslems QODS and the occupied country Palestinian.We are all Muslim we must fight against enemy not ourselves beacuse we are all muslim.Our enemy is us and israel.

My advice for the Arabs and Iranians on PDF.

Arab: It is the time to see Shia as your religious brother. Despite the different ideology, you can still respect each other's sect.

Iranian: Some members need to stop promoting the Aryan supremacy over the Semitic Arabs, you are both human being at an equal level. And you are both getting persecuted by the West. So stop fighting each other to prove who is superior.

 

[Ghulam-Alazhar]

@Chinese Tiger1986
Are U chinese Muslim?