Connect with us

World

Exclusive: Top UK diplomat hopes Saudi-Iran deal leads to change in Tehran’s behavior


Britain welcomes the recent rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and hopes that it will change Tehran’s behavior in the region, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said in an interview with Al Arabiya on Thursday.

“We welcome dialogue and hope that the conversations and the meetings that the Saudis had with Iran bring about a change of behavior, but ultimately the choice is for the leadership in Tehran,” Cleverly told Al Arabiya.

For the latest headlines, follow our Google News channel online or via the app.

Saudi Arabia and Iran announced in March that they had reached an agreement, brokered by China, to reestablish diplomatic relations after seven years of no formal ties.

Britain wants to see Iran cease its support and arming of armed groups in the region, including the Houthis in Yemen, Cleverly said. “If this conversation between the Saudis and the Iranians can lead to that, that is positive.”

Britain’s top diplomat said that London would view Chinese mediation between Saudi Arabia and Iran as a “positive move” provided Beijing encourages Iran to stop its hostile policies against its neighbors.

“Ultimately, we judge things by their actions and it’s easy for Iran to sign up to agreements and that is a potential positive step, but the more important thing is to see what Iran actually does, whether it abides by those commitments, whether it becomes a more peaceful neighbor,” he said.

British-Saudi relations

Cooperation between Britain and Saudi Arabia across various fields, including trade, security and counterterrorism will continue to strengthen in the years to come, Cleverly said, describing the relationship between London and Riyadh as “strong and mature.”

Saudi Arabia’s “standing and influence in the world is only going to increase over time and we want to make sure that we continue to be a close partner to the Saudis,” he added.

“We are able to discuss issues directly, and I’ve very much enjoyed my relationship with his Highness, the Saudi Foreign Minister [Prince Faisal bin Farhan].”

Iranian threats on UK soil

Cleverly highlighted the Britain’s demand for an end to Iran’s plots against its critics based in the UK.

“We regard freedom of speech and press freedom as absolute priorities, so we say to Tehran: stop your aggression against critics based here in the UK,” he said.

According to Cleverly, Iran has made 16 attempts to kidnap or assassinate individuals based in the UK since early 2022.

Britain on Thursday announced the creation of a new sanctions regime targeting Iran, giving London greater powers to impose sanctions on decision-makers involved in weapons proliferation and threats against British nationals.

While expressing Britain’s willingness to engage diplomatically with Iran and hoping for changes in the Islamic Republic’s behavior, Cleverly stressed the importance of taking action “to defend ourselves, British people, and our interests” against Tehran’s actions.

Asked about Britain’s expectations regarding the new sanctions, considering Iran’s history of destabilizing the Middle East and the sanctions already in place against Tehran, Cleverly said that the Iranian government should recognize the economic pressure faced by the Iranian people due to international sanctions.

“Those things are in their hands to change; the Iranian leadership could change their behavior. They could be a more responsible actor in the region and beyond and if they were to change their behavior, we would be in a position to change our response. That’s the offer that we make to Iran: be a better actor both within your own borders, in the region, and against the UK and our friends and we will be able to change our response.”

Proscribing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) – a demand made by the Iranian opposition – is an option London “always keeps in consideration,” Cleverly said.

“It is not something that we have done at the moment, but we have sanctioned the IRGC in its entirety … We always keep options open, and our response will always be linked to Iranian action and if they want our response to change then their actions should change.”

On Iran’s nuclear program, Cleverly said that Tehran’s enrichment of uranium to near weapons-grade levels violates Tehran’s commitments under the 2015 nuclear deal.

“We make it clear that we are willing to engage with Iran, but they have to understand that their continued attempts to acquire nuclear weapons is completely unacceptable and we will work with our international partners to prevent that [from] taking place,” he said.

Ukraine

Regarding the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Cleverly was asked if China could assist in resolving the situation.

He said: “If China can impress upon [Russian President Vladimir] Putin the error of his ways, if they can impress upon Putin the complete unacceptability of threatening nuclear war and if they can impress upon Putin the importance of sovereignty and territorial integrity which they have said they value very highly then I think that can be a positive move.”

Cleverly said that Putin does not seem to be receptive at the moment. He added that Britain wants a peaceful resolution based on the principles of the UN Charter and Ukraine’s sovereignty. “If China can play a part in that, we would welcome that action.”

Cleverly said Ukraine wants peace more than any other country, emphasized London’s commitment to assisting Kyiv in defending itself until a resolution is achieved, and lamented the loss of Ukrainian lives and the civilian infrastructure destroyed by Russia.

“The Ukrainians want peace, but they have also seen that Putin still has aggressive expansionist intentions, and so we continue to support Ukraine in their self-defense, and we will do so until this has been successfully resolved.”

Read more:

UK will keep defending Ukraine, sanction Iranians supplying drones to Russia: FM

Related Topics:
Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

Continue Reading

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

Continue Reading

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

Continue Reading

Trending