Arab League calls for inclusion of Iran

Dubai: Arabs must be kept in the loop about Iran, Arab League chief Amr Mousa said after a gathering of Arab foreign ministers in Cairo on Tuesday.

"I demand that no foreign [power] talks to Iran without Arabs being aware of it and having a role in the process," Mousa said, in a direct reference to the latest US overtures towards Iran, which has been a subject of deep concern for Arab countries, especially the GCC states.

In an attempt to ease these concerns, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton assured the gathering of Arab foreign ministers that GCC states would be involved in any process of reconciliation with Iran.

Gulf Research Centre Analyst Nicole Stracke explained why GCC leaders have been increasingly vocal over their concerns towards Iran, demanding a clear commitment by the US to protect their interests.

"[GCC states] have genuine apprehensions about the US ability and willingness to handle the problem relating to Iran without undermining GCC interests. It appears that the UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan has demanded a definite commitment from the American side that nothing will be done behind the back of the GCC states and no concessions shall be made behind closed doors that could compromise the national interest of the GCC states in any way," Stracke says in a report obtained by Gulf News.

Prince Saud Al Faisal of Saudi Arabia recently declared that non-Arab countries should not interfere in Iraq, Lebanon or the Palestinian territories. He also called on a unified Arab position in dealing with Gulf security in light of a nuclear Iran. GCC states have a growing list of grievances towards the Persian country, such as Iranian claims to three UAE islands and Bahrain. It has been requested that these grievances be discussed at the next Arab League meeting.

A nuclear Iran poses an obvious threat to GCC security concerns, but Stracke points out in her report that GCC states have yet to come up with a unifed approach. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain met with Egypt, Iraq and Jordan in New York in January to discuss regional security, including the Iranian issue.

"The absence of two GCC states, Qatar and Oman, from the consultations indicated the possibility that a different approach and diverging views [exist] among the GCC states over the right way of dealing with the Iranian nuclear issue. Disunity among the GCC states will serve no one and can only send wrong and disturbing signals to Iran and to the US," Stracke explained.

Another factor of importance is whether Iran will respond to US overtures for reconciliation. Clinton, during a recent meeting with the UAE foreign minister, expressed doubt that Iran would respond favourably. Britain, France and Germany have signalled no let up in pressure towards Iranian nuclear ambitions. They have recently called for additional economic sanctions on Iran which many analysts view as a direct signal that a complete halt in Iran's nuclear programme should preclude any attempt towards reconciliation.