White House: Saudi and Iran Relations Not Adverse to US Interests

A newly brokered deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran could reduce violence and instability in the region, as both countries have long engaged in proxy wars across the region. 

The White House said that while it was not in a position to take on the mediator role between the two nations, China’s efforts to “promote de-escalation” in the region were not “adverse” to U.S. interests.

The landmark deal was announced on Friday, brokered by China to re-establish diplomatic ties and reopen embassies after seven years of heightened tensions. They agreed to reopen embassies within two months. 

The White House said that the deal by China is steering the region in the same direction that the U.S. has been working towards. 

“Even as we have put a lot of diplomatic muscle into trying to help promote de-escalation, as with the Yemen truce, having other countries like China promote de-escalation is not fundamentally adverse to US interests and frankly it’s in a way rowing in the same direction,” White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. 

Sullivan emphasized that the U.S. sees the deal as a “positive” development for the Middle East and the broader globe in general. 

“We think this is something positive in so far that it promotes a goal the US has been promoting in the region, which is de-escalation and reduction in tensions. That is a good thing,” he said. 

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah said the Saudi-Iranian agreement to restore diplomatic relations underscores the joint desire by both sides to “resolve disputes through communication and dialogue.”

In his first interview since the agreement was reached last week, Prince Faisal said he was looking forward to meeting his Iranian counterpart soon to build on the deal.

He added that while they are re-establishing ties, it does not mean that an agreement has been reached to resolve all pending disputes between Saudi and Iran.

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