Arab-Iranian Relations

Haseeb, Khair el-Din (ed.) Arab-Iranian Relations. Beirut: Center for Arab Unity Studies, 1998. 564. pp.

Arab and Iranian history is full of cultural, religious and political confrontation and both always challenge each other as rivals. But both have equally affirmed the need for greater coordination and cooperation as a part of the Islamic strategic depth to the Muslim world. Both nations share a cultural, religious and historical identity and this commonality has continued across the ages, with all their developments and incidents. Moreover, both nations have common geostrategic and mutual economic and political interests in the region and have also shared values and traditions which have contributed significantly to other nations of the world.

Haseeb's book provides a comprehensive and thematic discussion on Arab-Iranian relations, focusing on the territorial disputes. He discusses the parties past history, contemporary and future political and economic differences and explains these relations based on the belief that mutual dialogue and understanding ultimately can solve all outstanding problems. The book is divided into thirteen parts, based on the illuminating collection of twenty-seven different essays, presented at a seminar held in Doha (Quatar) in September 1995, hosted by the University of Qatar and organised by the Centre for Arab Unity Studies (CAUS) on Arab-Iranian Relations. The book is an excellent academic piece in which scholars from Arab countries and Iran contribute highly informative papers and produce fruitful ideas to bring the two nations together for the development and prosperity of the region.

The author lays out the history of Arab-Iran relations which is full of hostility and hospitality in different ages and stages. He describes how, many times, both nations improved their relations due to the common geostrategic interest in the region and Iran is considered by the Arabs as a part of the Arab world. Moreover, mutual economic interest (i.e. oil) and OPEC partnership strengthen the relations between the Arabs and Iran and both cooperate with other for the development of internal human and natural resources. The author renders an important service in providing a valuable analysis about Arab-Iranian economic ties and examining the level of economic cooperation and investment with each other. He also notes that strong economic and commercial ties continue to bind the Arabs and Iranians and these ties are the key to future close relations.

The authors draw the attention of the reader towards the grave consequences of imperialism, which created division between Arabs and Iranians on the basis of territory, ethnicity and nationalism. Thus, the scholars advise that mutual awareness between Arabs and Iranians is necessary to reduce the past deep-seated tension. For this purpose, the authors suggest that scholars, artists, intellectuals, religious leaders, academicians, and the media can play a vital role to create awareness and consciousness which should be unprejudice and unbiased. The authors mentioned that the media have taken advantage of their dangerous role in shaping public opinion and the Western media have poisoned the present Muslim generation (particularly Arab and Iranian) through disinformation, fabrication and successfully inventing tension and hatred between Arabs and Iranians. In this regard, the approach of rationality by both parties is a definite necessity and removal of all forms of provocation can rescue the region from its current problems. The authors argue that Iranian and Arab elites have a responsibility to enable their societies to realise their noble goals.

The authors critically evaluate the status of women in Arab and Iranian society. They claim that since the Islamic revolution (1979) Iranian women have equality, respect and the right to participate in all social, political and economic activities. On the other hand, Arabian scholars claim that Islam liberated women from cruel prejudice and gave them the dignity of humanity and pride in their womanhood. Islam projects a woman as being parallel to a man and embodies the philosophy of being both equal and different.

The authors highlight the significant territorial disputes between Iran and the Gulf countries over the ownership of three islands-Abu Musa, Greater Tunb Island, and Lesser Tunb Island, all strategically located in the Strait of Hormuz. The three islands were effectively occupied by Iranian troops in 1992 and are still under Iranian suzerainty. On the other hand, Iran and Iraq have outstanding disputes over the Shatt-al-Arab waterway. Iran demanded the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Iranian territory and the return to the status quo ante for the Shatt- al-Arab as established under the 1975 Algiers Agreement signed by Iraq and Iran. However, after eight punishing years of war, in July 1988, Iran agreed to UN Security Council Resolution 598, which called for a cease-fire. The cease-fire was implemented on August 20, 1988; neither nation had made any real gains in the war.