1988-1990 Ira boycotts Hajj in response to Saudi Arabia’s restriction on Iranian pilgrims. He said that Iranian-backed Shia paramilitary units were aggravating tensions with Sunni Muslims in Iraq. As part of Saudi Arabia's efforts to engage with Shia religious leaders, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (also known as MBS) met Iraqi Shia leader Muqtada al-Sadr in Riyadh in July 2017. Iraqi leaders believe the relationship could lead to much-needed aid to rebuild its war-devastated provinces and stabilize Sunni-dominated areas of the country. var d = new Date(); The Saudis watched VP Hashimi's visit to the US very carefully, he posited, and were pleased to see how warmly he was received. Riyadh's fears concerning Baghdad's ultimate intentions prompted Saudi Arabia to become involved directly in the war against Iraq during January and February 1991. Sunni-ruled Saudi Arabia long accused Iraq of being too close to Iran and of encouraging sectarian discrimination against Sunnis, charges denied by Baghdad. They each … More recently, Riyadh tried to make inroads with Shia politicians and leaders from within the system, thereby fostering an acceptance of the post-2003 order. Unlike other Arab countries, relations did not resume after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam. The death of Khomeini in 1989, coupled with Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990, provided a modest basis for rapprochement. These outward displays of reconciliation come amidst shifting relations between the United States, Iraq, Iran, and Saudi Arabia. In January 2008, Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal reiterated Saudi Arabia's intention to open a diplomatic mission in Baghdad and appoint an ambassador. Saudi Arabia is bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to the east, Oman to the southeast and Yemen to the south; it is separated from Egypt and Israel in the north-west by the Gulf of Aqaba. The Saudis shared the Iraqi analysis that moderation can only expand under pressure, military and diplomatic pressure that over time may convince the immoderate majority of Iranian leaders that their intransigence was leading only to increasing failure: pressure, in other words, that in time may prove the moderates correct. The Saudis were genuinely frightened and requested the United States to bring troops into the kingdom to help confront the menace. Relations between these countries and Saudi Arabia later returned to their pre-war status. Shafaq News / Iraq and Saudi Arabia stressed on Thursday the importance of enhancing cooperation and expanding political, security and economic relations between the two countries. script.setAttribute("onerror", "setNptTechAdblockerCookie(true);"); Some underlying issues would remain the same regardless of Iraq's leadership, and the Saudis would feel compelled to show more forward motion on Iraq following the elections irrespective of the election outcome -- especially given their growing concern about the Iranian threat. Each country had remained silent following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait but called for an end to violence once the deployment of coalition troops began. document.getElementsByTagName("head")[0].appendChild(script); Despite its considerable financial investment in creating a political alliance with Iraq, Saudi Arabia failed to acquire a long-term friend. As Al Jazeera TV channel reportedrecently, al-Otaibi was dislodged from the Grand Mosque with extreme bloodshed and only with the use of French mercenaries. 2011- Two Iranians charged by U.S. with attempting murder of Saudi Ambassador, Saudi Arabia accuses Iran for protests in Bahrain. The Media Office of … To achieve peaceful co-existence, however, both regional powers need to make significant compromises. Al-Kadhimi accepted the King’s invitation to visit Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and discuss ways to “strengthen relations between the two countries and the two brotherly peoples”. The relationship between Iraq and Saudi Arabia has historically altered between animosity, tensions, grudging acceptance, and regional coexistence. Iraq Wants Aid, but Saudi Arabia and the UAE See Investment Opportunity To help weather the coming energy transition, Gulf countries are plowing money in renewable development abroad. (function(src){var a=document.createElement("script");a.type="text/javascript";a.async=true;a.src=src;var b=document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0];b.parentNode.insertBefore(a,b)})("//experience.tinypass.com/xbuilder/experience/load?aid=bYdYZQml5V"); Saudi Arabia supports the establishment of a unified, independent, and sovereign Iraq. Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Al-Tuwaijri, Assistant Deputy Commander of the Saudi National Guard, voiced his support for Allawi. The Iran-backed Shia militias have been increasingly operating as the country's main military and political force. var setNptTechAdblockerCookie = function(adblocker) { “The Saudi-Iraq relations have been cut for about 27 years, and now we celebrate an accomplishment that suits the Saudi-Iraqi relations,” Saudi Ambassador Abdulaziz Alshamri said. The channel uncovered French defence ministry documents entitled "Mecca Mission" which revealed the kingdom’s thanks for the liberation of the mosque. Relations between Saudi Arabia and Iraq soured further when around 400 pilgrims, including 275 Iranians, died in the clashes in the holy city of Mecca in 1987. They felt the need to engage with senior Shia politicians, as well. Iran and Saudi Arabia have long been regional rivals. Since the fall of Saddam Hussein's government in 2003, Iran has advanced its influence in Iraq, which has further strained relations with Saudi Arabia.