Saudi Arabia rules out mediation with Iran

[insight-out]

If Saudi Arabia did not want mediation, then they could have politely and diplomatically informed Pakistan that they would rather handle this bilaterally with Iran.

The public rejection of Pakistan's offer to mediate is especially sharp if we note three subtle but important points: First, they welcomed the Pakistani PM and COAS, when they could have quietly told them that it was not a good time to visit. Second, they diminished Pakistan's efforts by pointing out that a number of countries have offered to mediate, when it is Pakistan that has made that effort most publicly. Third, the fact that the statement was made during an Indo-Arab Forum either indicates a diplomatic faux pas or a deliberate message to Pakistan.

So either the Sharifs bungled their pitch to the Saudis (which is very possible), or the Saudis are resentful that Pakistan has not sided with them unequivocally. That of course is unfair on the part of the Saudis, given Pakistan's demography and circumstances.

Whatever the case may be, the Saudis are not in a good place, and neither are the Pakistanis. Unfortunately (from my perspective), the only winner here is Iran, who is both still in control of key Arab countries and is back in favour with the Western world.

Despite the damaged Pakistan-Saudi relations, Pakistan will eventually be forced to side with the Saudis, as it is the better of two bad options. But it will have to pay for that choice both on the domestic and foreign front.

 

[Solomon2]

“There will be no mediation as long as Iran does not respond positively,”



OK, so some sort of offer has been made to the Iranians.

Was it made directly or through a mediator?
If directly, why would mediation be sought, even conditionally?
Or was an offer made indirectly through a mediator but the minister wanted to deny this, so as not to appear to be yielding to the mullahs in the face of "sedition and supporting terrorism"?
And if a mediating party was used, who could it have been other than Pakistan, whose PM visited both capitals?

 

[nang2]

I suspect Saudi is afraid of Iran, given the much bigger size of Iran (77M) comparing to Saudi (28M). Saudi wants to maintain its upper hand via oil price war.

 

[VCheng]

Correct me if I'm wrong but the graph you gave shows that US oil production surpassed the amount that it imported in 2014; it plots US oil production vs US oil imports. This, at best, means that the US is producing more than half of the oil that it needs (which still isn't true) while the rest it still imports. It clearly shows that the US is still importing 7 million bbl/day. How does that show in any way that the US is a net exporter of oil?

You are correct. My mistake was not seeing that while production exceeded imports, overall there is a still a net shortfall. I stand corrected, and thank you for it.

USA's overall energy balance is actually not bad:

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=20812

 

[The Eagle]

You are correct. My mistake was not seeing that while production exceeded imports, overall there is a still a net shortfall. I stand corrected, and thank you for it.

USA's overall energy balance is actually not bad:

https://www.eia.gov/todayinenergy/detail.cfm?id=20812

and furthermore, IMO, these imports does includes the Oil being obtained through their beloved proxies which were particularly assigned with such task beside others.

On topic, The mediation part was not offered by Pakistan on the requirement of any party nor the Pakistan claimed to be the mediator. It was done for the sake of being a responsible, friendly, brotherly and religiously connected country with KSA & Iran though we played our part to calm the situation that both countries need to understand that which will not bring any good to them and all but destruction. On other hand, such statement was made to avoid any suspicion for Pakistan to proxy lovers and becoming a direct target or to avoid any kind of pressure as the US and West wouldn't love a steady and at Peace Middle East.