De Mistura's Visit to Riyadh and Tehran to Assess the Consequences of Diplomatic Break

Stefan de Mistura, the UN envoy for Syria, is heading to Riyadh and Tehran to assess the consequences of the severed relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The tensions in Iran-Saudi relations have broadly fueled concerns about escalating unrest in the Middle East, with various countries expressing worries about the potential impacts of these tensions on the Syrian peace process. In this context, on Sunday, just hours before the announcement of the severance of relations between Riyadh and Tehran, Federica Mogherini, the EU's foreign policy chief, shared the EU's concerns about rising tensions in the region with the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia during a phone call. Ms. Mogherini warned that the increasing tensions between Iran and Saudi Arabia could undermine efforts to achieve a political solution to the Syrian crisis. Now, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for the UN, has announced that Stefan de Mistura is traveling to Riyadh and Tehran with the hope that the side effects of the tensions between the two countries will not affect the peace process among Syrian groups. Accordingly, Mr. de Mistura is set to travel to Riyadh on Monday and will also visit Tehran later this week. The UN Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on the Syrian peace process in late Azar, calling for the formation of a 'legitimate, inclusive, and non-sectarian government' within the next six months and holding 'free and fair elections based on a new constitution within the next 18 months.' The UN is working to hold peace talks among Syrian groups on January 25 in Geneva, and the Bashar al-Assad government has welcomed participation in these talks. Meanwhile, reports emerged on Monday of a phone conversation between US Secretary of State John Kerry and the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia, with AFP reporting that Mr. Kerry urged both sides to exercise restraint during these calls. In recent days, the United States has expressed concern over executions in Saudi Arabia and their tension-inducing consequences, while also strongly condemning the attack on Saudi diplomatic sites in Iran. In this context, AFP quoted a knowledgeable source about Mr. Kerry's phone calls with his Iranian and Saudi counterparts, stating that the US has called for calm and de-escalation from both sides, emphasizing that the current situation requires a reduction in tensions. The Associated Press also quoted a US official stating that the US does not wish to position itself between Iran and Saudi Arabia but wants to ensure the continuation of the fight against ISIS, recent peace efforts in Syria, and the Iran nuclear agreement. In another development, Russia has expressed readiness to mediate between Tehran and Riyadh, with a Russian Foreign Ministry official telling the Itar-Tass news agency that Moscow is willing to host the foreign ministers of Iran and Saudi Arabia for this purpose. Moscow condemned the attack on the Saudi embassy in Tehran in a statement but has urged Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries to show restraint. Moscow has also recommended that Tehran and Riyadh pursue dialogue and suggested that the Security Council should also take action to ensure stability in the Gulf region.