By Alireza Enayati, Iran’s ambassador to Saudi Arabia
TEHRAN - In the summer of 2021, as Ebrahim Raisi began his presidency, the concept of "neighborhood policy" became a cornerstone of the Islamic Republic of Iran's foreign policy.
Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian was tasked with implementing this policy, building on his extensive experience with Iran's neighbors and regional countries during his tenure at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He devoted himself to this mission wholeheartedly.
Through numerous phone calls, participation in regional and international conferences, meetings, visits, and effective communication with his counterparts in the foreign ministries of regional countries, Amir Abdollahian established himself in the political arena as a hardworking, diligent, humble, and knowledgeable diplomat.
After taking the initial steps and demonstrating Iran's goodwill, the countries in the region, particularly the Persian Gulf states, welcomed Iran’s outreach, leading to a new era in the relations between Iran and the Persian Gulf countries. During the late Amir Abdollahian's tenure, Iran's relations with Saudi Arabia were restored, ties with the United Arab Emirates improved, and connections with Kuwait, the Sultanate of Oman, and Qatar were strengthened.
The restoration of diplomatic relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and Saudi Arabia in March 2023 was hailed as one of the most significant events in recent years for the West Asia region by many experts.
This agreement and political reconciliation made waves not only on a bilateral level but also reverberated throughout the broader Islamic world and the region at large.
The productive visits of the late President Raisi to Oman and Qatar, his participation in the extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Saudi Arabia, and his meetings with the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, along with leaders of Arab and Islamic countries, as well as the visits of the Sultan of Oman and the Emir of Qatar to Tehran, showcased the peak of the Islamic Republic of Iran's flourishing neighborhood policy and its progress.
In addition to expanding bilateral relations with southern neighbors in the Persian Gulf, there has always been hope among the architects of the Islamic Republic of Iran's foreign policy and its Foreign Minister for establishing a new security system in the region with the participation of all eight countries bordering the Persian Gulf (the GCC countries plus Iran and Iraq), free from the interference of extra-regional powers and based on the will of the region's peoples.
Promoting the idea of a new order for regional security was always on late Amir Abdollahian's agenda. He held numerous consultations with regional officials. One of his important proposals for regional stability was the idea of holding a Regional Dialogue Forum to strengthen dialogue among countries, encouraging listening to one another instead of talking about one another. Emphasizing peace, tranquility, and stability in the Persian Gulf was one of the cornerstones of the neighborhood policy envisioned by the late Foreign Minister.
His friendliness was always praised by friends and colleagues. This good character was also well-known among his counterparts in neighboring countries, and his personal relationship often resolved bilateral and regional issues, accelerating the process. The presence of the Omani Foreign Minister at his family home to express condolences and the post on social media X by the UAE Foreign Minister about the late Amir Abdollahian's character are testament to this.
One of the latest and most significant achievements of pursuing the neighborhood policy during his tenure was the revival of the process for dispatching Umrah pilgrims to Mecca. He personally followed up on this issue, making several phone calls and holding face-to-face meetings with his Saudi counterpart to resolve problems and remove obstacles.
The martyrdom of Foreign Minister Amir Abdollahian in a helicopter crash was a deeply painful loss for his friends and colleagues. However, the fact that the incident occurred while serving national interests and during his return from inaugurating a joint project with a neighboring country, aimed at helping the people of both nations, marked a fitting conclusion to a lifetime of sincere service by the beloved minister and executor of Iran's neighborhood policy.
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