Published by
Reuters
Reuters
By Parisa Hafezi, Aziz El Yaakoubi and James Pomfret DUBAI (Reuters) – Eager to end its political and economic isolation, Iran had been trying for two years to restore ties with its long-time rival Saudi Arabia, an Arab heavyweight and oil powerhouse. Last September, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lost patience with the slow pace of bilateral talks and summoned his team to discuss ways to accelerate the process, which led to China’s involvement, two Iranian officials told Reuters. Beijing’s secret role in the breakthrough announced last week shook up dynamics in the Middle East, …