(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The hypocritical foreign policies of Saudi Arabia and the UAE unveiled before the whole world when both blockading countries after asking Qatar in its notorious 13-point demands to cut off relations with Iran themselves engaged the influential Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada Al Sadr to mend their relations with Tehran.
Al Sadr, who made a rare trip to Saudi Arabia recently — first in 11 years— did so upon an official invitation from the Saudis. Although no information has been leaked about the reason of the visit as Saudi is seeking way to get out of the war in Yemen, Al Sadar has been asked to mediate with Houthi militias.
In an interview with Al Sharq Al Awsat newspaper last Friday, Al Sadr, commenting on his recent visit to Saudi Arabia, said that their visions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman were identical and they discussed many hot issues of the region including the war in Yemen, Syria and situations in Bahrain, Al Quds and relation between Saudi Arabia and Iran.
According to a statement issued by Sadr's office, Riyadh had agreed to pay Baghdad $10m purportedly as aid to rebuild Iraq. According to London-based The New Arab news website, Saudis also awarded special visas to members of Sadr's office for this year's Haj pilgrimage.
Sadr's office also said that the influential cleric's meeting with Mohammed bin Salman, resulted in an agreement to 'study possible investments in Shia regions of southern Iraq. The Saudis will also consider the possibility of opening a consulate in Iraq's Shia city of Najaf. Al Sadr said that all the disputes of the region can be solved even they take time including the current Gulf crisis, adding that he had demanded the Syrian President to step down.
Iranian commentators and analysts differed on the aims of Sadr's visit. Some see it as an important development which will lead to release of Shias sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, while others considered it as hurting Muslims feelings. One commentator Musaddaqi Nur, while talking to Press TV, said that Al Sadr was unlikely to be asked by Iran to mediate to end the tension with Saudi Arabia.
Different media sources reported that Riyadh has resorted to Iraqi officials and figures, including Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi and Muqtada Sadr, to ask for their mediation with Iran to help end the Yemen war. Saudi Arabia invited top Iraqi officials and asked them to mediate for Iran's help to convince the Houthis to end the Yemen war, as if the war launched on Yemen by Houthis themselves.
Iran's ambassador to Iraq, Iraj Masjedi told Iranian news agency, Isna, that the recent visits by Al Sadr to Saudi Arabia and Emirates 'do not suggest that Shia groups or the Iraqi government were breaking away from Iran.
Masjedi said his country's relations with the Iraqi government and Shia groups will remain strong. 'Both countries enjoy very good relations, military and security cooperation, besides an economic ties worth $8bn a year. The Emirati government sent a special plane to fly Sadr to the UAE and return him to Iraq, according to a statement on the cleric's website. Iraq has been keen not to be seen as taking a side in the current Gulf crisis and the siege imposed on Qatar but Iraq and Qatar have shown cooperation in different areas.
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