Riyadh: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is reportedly mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran to patch up their strained relations, according to well-informed diplomatic sources.
After meeting with his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran on Saturday, Zardari arrived in Jeddah yesterday afternoon. He is scheduled to hold wide-ranging talks with King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz at Al Salam Palace in Jeddah.
The talks would focus on improving bilateral relations and strengthening cooperation in various fields.
Diplomatic efforts
The diplomatic efforts by Pakistan to improve relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran would culminate in the meeting between Zardari and King Abdullah.
One of the major goals of Zardari's visit to Iran was normalising Saudi-Iranian relations to the level that existed before the Kingdom's sending of troops to Bahrain, according to a report carried by Saudi online newspaper Elaph.
During the visit, Zardari held extensive talks with Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, President Ahmadinejad, and other high ranking officials.
According to the newspaper, the visit of Zardari was held under the coordination of the ministry of interior instead of the ministry of foreign affairs. Interior Minister Rahman Malek accompanied Zardari during the visit to Iran.
"One of the major goals of Zardari's visit to the Kingdom is to brief King Abdullah on the outcome of his visit to Iran and the Pakistani efforts to improve the strained relations between Riyadh and Tehran," the newspaper said. It also pointed out that Rahman Malek is acting as the special envoy of Zardari in this respect. Malek recently visited Saudi Arabia immediately after his visit to Tehran.
Press briefing
Meanwhile, in a press briefing before leaving for Jeddah, Zardari said that his two-day visit to the Kingdom comes at a very important time in terms of regional political developments.
He said bilateral relations are deeply rooted and are distinguished by the bonds of the Islamic faith and common interests, stressing that the already strong relations will further develop in the future.
The two countries believe that peace must not only prevail in the region but in the entire world.
President Zardari, who last visited the Kingdom in 2008, is accompanied by a high level delegation. During his visit, he is scheduled to perform Umrah and visit Masjid Al Nabawi (Prophet's Mosque) in Madinah.
The real target
A Western strategic expert warned that the Iranian nuclear programme is targeting not Israel but the Arab world in general and Saudi Arabia in particular.
This was stated by the German expert Dr Guido Steinberg while addressing a seminar entitled "Saudi Arabia and the Gulf: A house built on sand?" organised by the Global Policy Institute in London on Tuesday evening.
Dr Guido, who is an Islamic studies scholar and a researcher at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs in Berlin, also said that Iran would announce next year its capability to enrich uranium for making nuclear bombs. "Iran would strive to misuse its nuclear capability for its blackmailing tactics and imposing its dictates in the region. The main target of its nuclear programme is Saudi Arabia and not Israel," he said. The expert's comment came in the wake of the strained relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
