There are no eternal enemies in the world, only eternal interests. Saudi Arabia and Iran shocked the world with a "handshake" agreement on March 10. The incident has raised questions about whether other unsolvable knots can be solved. Thousands of years of religious grievances can be dissipated in a "meeting and laughing", so can we expect successful negotiations on the Russian-Ukrainian war in the complicated situation in the Middle East?Saudi Arabia and Iran have been able to reconcile even though it has been seven years since the severance of diplomatic relations, ostensibly thanks to China's coordination. However, at a deeper level, both Saudi Arabia and Iran are deeply aware that shaking hands and making peace is the most pragmatic option, which is in the interests of the country and the people. Behind the great reconciliation of this century, how have the parties behaved, and what is the logic of support?
First of all, the countries of the Middle East congratulated Saudi Arabia and Iran on their handshake. Within five hours of the joint statement, Oman, Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq and other countries welcomed the announcement. This swift and timely "welcome" gesture reflects how much these countries have suffered from the war, and the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran offers hope for the future of the Middle East. In the past, Middle East issues have focused on sectarian conflicts between Sunni and Shiites, contradictions between Middle Eastern countries and Israel, and U.S. intervention in the Middle East. The rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran has made the countries of the Middle East see the possibility of reducing the number of bloody conflicts, which is undoubtedly a great thing for the entire Middle East region.
Second, the performance of the United States in the Middle East has attracted widespread attention. The handshake between Saudi Arabia and Iran was called a "great change in the Middle East" by the American newspaper Wall Street**. For the United States, this is undoubtedly a huge change. The long-term U.S. presence in the Middle East is aimed at gaining more benefits, and this is achieved by provoking disputes among Middle Eastern countries. The handshake between Saudi Arabia and Iran means that the United States has lost one of its most important allies, oil pricing power may change, American influence in the Middle East will weaken, and Saudi ** purchases may be significantly reduced. This is a huge blow to the United States, which has been emphasizing safeguarding its own interests in the Middle East for decades. In the face of this situation, how will the United States respond, and does it mean that the United States will gradually fade out of the Middle East?This remains a matter of concern.
Finally, the attitude of the European Union is also in the spotlight. After the handshake between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the EU issued a statement welcoming and hoping that the two countries would be able to implement the agreement. This diverges with the attitude of the United States. The EU explained that since both Saudi Arabia and Iran are at the heart of security in the Middle East, the restoration of relations between the two countries will contribute to the stability of the entire region. This statement shows the EU's desire for peace and the avoidance of war. In the event of a war, it will lead to a large influx of refugees into Europe, which will have a negative impact on the EU's economy and capital flows. At the same time, the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran will help reduce tensions in the Middle East, which is good news for Europe.
On the whole, the handshake between Saudi Arabia and Iran has a positive impact on world peace and security, and is also conducive to China's development. China's growing role in the Middle East is a sign of China's growing influence in the region, while also deflecting some of the pressure in East Asia.