‘No breakthrough in Arab-Iranian relations’

Continuing consultations and constructive dialogue with neighbouring countries to achieve security and stability are the only ways to resolve the Arab differences with Iran, a Qatari professor said yesterday.

Professor of Political Science at the Qatar University, Dr Muhammad Al-Musfir, described Kuwaiti Emir, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah’s speech at the Arab League Summit about relations with Iran as “diplomatic and cannot become a reality because of the size of the gap in relations between Tehran and the other Arab capitals”.

“The words of the Emir of Kuwait are mostly conciliatory, so his talk about the relationship with Iran is not new, but things on the ground seem more complicated, despite attempts by Kuwait and Oman to mediate differences between Iran and the Arab countries.”

Read: Kuwait hopes for improved Gulf-Iran ties

Al-Musfir pointed out that Iran still has battalions fighting in Syria and Iraq and refuses to deal with any solution regarding the UAE islands, not through negotiation, mediation or international arbitration.

“Iran has not stopped talking about Bahrain’s dependence on it, and has media cells in Baghdad, Beirut and in Yemen.”

Constructive dialogue requires all parties to be ready and willing, which he said Iran is not.