The execution of a Shiite preacher in Saudi Arabia, the attack on the Saudi Embassy in Iran and the severance of diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran became the logical consequences of the covert war being waged by these two states in Syria and Yemen, a well-known American diplomat, the former US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Matthew Bryza, said in an interview with a correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza.
"This conflict is both geopolitical and historical (Persia against Arabia), and religious (Shia against Sunni). The assassination of the Shiite religious activist (although a citizen of Saudi Arabia) by the Saudis and the failure of the Iranian government to protect the Saudi embassy in Tehran have led to ab unnecessary escalation of this geopolitical and religious strife,’’ the US diplomat said.
Bryza also noted that the current situation, in spite of all the external conditions, is unlikely to lead to a rise in oil prices. "Usually this tension between major powers in the heart of the Middle East leads to a sharp increase in oil prices, but now the world markets are so filled with suggestion that oil is trading at a minimum, which was not achieved even in 2008. The oil prices may start to rise sharply only if Saudi Arabia and Iran will decide to start to direct combat operations against each other,’’ the former US ambassador to Azerbaijan said.
The diplomat does not expect this. "This is certainly unlikely, as far as such a movement will return Iran to diplomatic isolation, which must be removed, if and when Tehran complies with the conditions of the international nuclear agreements. Accordingly, Iran, which is going to increase its delivery to the world oil markets by 500 thousand barrels per day in a few months and at the same rate by the end of 2016, will not get involved in open armed confrontation with Saudi Arabia,’’ Matthew Bryza concluded.
