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“Reflecting the step up in activity, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on Monday that Zhai Jun, Beijing’s special envoy on the Middle East, will visit Iran, Oman and Saudi Arabia this month.”

“United States oil companies have earned more than $130bn in profits during the war on Iran, even as consumers pay much higher prices for key commodities, amid fears that US President Donald Trump may renew fighting after midterm elections.”

“Iranian officials have said they are open to new peace talks if the US meets their conditions, but also ready to act more aggressively in any new military confrontation.”

“In fact, more problems, with the closure of the Strait of Hormuz upending global energy markets and most recently, the Iran-aligned Houthis and Saudi Arabia locking horns, have threatened the Middle East’s regional stability.”

“While high-level diplomatic talks such as recent meetings in Tehran involving Saudi and Iranian officials have aimed to de-escalate tensions, analysts say the Houthis are actively testing the limits of Saudi military restraint and air defence capabilities,…”

“Vance’s letter, delivered to Rezaei through Qatari mediators on Sunday, proposed direct talks led by Vance, with Iran’s nuclear programme on the table from the start, according to the NYT, in a bid to prevent a renewal of strikes.”

“Tehran talks The ramped-up combat comes despite the week’s high-level diplomacy, which had been aimed at tamping down flaring regional tensions which have especially inflamed the cross-border fighting between Houthi forces and Saudi Arabia.”

“Against that backdrop, Gulf countries have stepped up diplomacy with Iran, with Saudi and Qatari diplomats, along with officials from Pakistan and Turkiye, participating in talks with Iranian officials in Tehran on Monday.”

“The situation has been exacerbated by the Iran-aligned Houthis’ attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and their capture of the Bab al-Mandeb strait.”

“The situation has been exacerbated by the Iran-aligned Houthis’ attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure and their capture of the Bab al-Mandeb strait.”

“Iran has maintained throughout the conflict – combining openness to diplomacy with continued preparations for war.”

“UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urges de-escalation and diplomacy in the Middle East as fighting intensifies in Yemen and between the Houthi group and Saudi Arabia.”

“Gulf countries have stepped up diplomacy with Iran in a bid to de-escalate tensions across the Middle East, amid fears of renewed US strikes on Tehran and intensifying hostilities between Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and Saudi Arabia.”

““The two leaders condemned Iranian military attacks against countries in the region which constitute a serious breach of international law,” according to the Qatari-French statement.”

“…mes a day after Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks in Tehran, and two weeks after Pakistan and its allies agreed to accelerate the deployment of forces to Saudi Arabia, which has come under repeated attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi armed…”

“On Thursday, Rayed Krimly, Saudi Arabia’s deputy minister for public diplomacy, blamed Iran for having “encouraged” the escalation.”

“Indirect peace talks conducted between the US and Iran via mediators have been continuing without any breakthroughs.”

“The talks in Washington, DC, on Monday came as the US-Israel war on Iran enters its eighth month, with diplomacy at a stalemate as mediators continue to pass messages between the parties.”

“In the latest diplomatic efforts, Qatar has played a role in mediating talks between Iran and the US on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York.”

“For more than two years, the 2023 Beijing-brokered agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran seemed to mark a shift in Gulf politics: Away from confrontation and towards managed coexistence.”

“It has since expanded to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.”