Iran–Kuwait relations explained

Iranian-Kuwaiti relations
Party1:Iran
Party2:Kuwait
Map:Iran Kuwait Locator.png
Envoytitle1:Ambassador
Envoy1:Bader Abdullah Al-Munaikh[1]
Envoytitle2:Ambassador
Envoy2:Mohammad Totonchi[2]
Mission1:Embassy of Kuwait, Tehran
Mission2:Embassy of Iran, Kuwait

Kuwait and Iran have longstanding historical ties spanning hundreds of years, particularly in the pre-oil era. Relations were negatively influenced by the Iranian Revolution in 1979 and the Iran–Iraq War in the 1980s. Relations improved after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.

20th century

Historically, Kuwait had close political, economic, and cultural ties to Iran. In 1961, Kuwait became an independent country gaining its sovereignty. In the 1980s, Kuwait sided with Iraq during the Iran–Iraq War.[3] As for the result, Iranian–Kuwaiti relations were damaged and Iran had placed Kuwaiti ships, including tankers, under attack.[4] Kuwait's relations with Iran later improved when Iran denounced Iraq for invading Kuwait in the Gulf War at 1991.[5] [6]

Recent history

Iran's foreign policy shifted with the election of more hardline Ahmadinejad in 2005, negatively influenced its relationship with the international community. Things improved when Hassan Rouhani came to power in 2013. In 2014, Kuwait Foreign Undersecretary Khaled Al-Jarallah said its keen on developing "excellent and historical" relationship with Iran.[7] [8]

According to the US government, Kuwait is concerned about Iranian regional ambitions in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. However, Kuwait continues to maintain friendly relations with Iran. In 2018, after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the United States withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal Kuwait opted to maintain formal ties with Iran[9] while Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates voiced strong support for the withdrawal. Previously Kuwait declined to follow Saudi Arabia's lead in severing diplomatic relations following the 2016 attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.

In 2018, Kuwait's announced plans for economic development, such as the "Silk City project", includes developing mutually beneficial economic ties with Iran (similar to Iran's current economic ties with Dubai of the United Arab Emirates).[10]

During the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Kuwait provided US$10 million in humanitarian aid to Iran.[11] [12]

On March 26, 2022, Iran said that an agreement signed this week by Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to develop the Durra gas field was "illegal" since Tehran has a stake in the field and must be included in any move to operate and develop it.[13]

On April 13, 2022, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait invited Iran to conduct talks on Wednesday to define the eastern border of a combined, energy-rich offshore area, according to the Saudi state news agency SPA.[14]

On July 27, 2023, Kuwait's Oil minister Saad Al Barrak announced plans to begin drilling for gas without first signing an agreement with Iran.[15]

On August 3, 2023, In an escalating feud with Iran, Kuwait along with Saudi Arabia announced that they have “exclusive ownership” of the natural resources in the disputed Durra offshore gas field. Iranian Oil Minister Javad Owji stressed that Tehran will pursue its rights over the Durra-Arash gas field if there is “no willingness” from the other side to “reach an understanding.” The same day Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Salem Abdullah al-Jaber Al-Sabah received an official invite to Iran during a meeting with Mohammad Totonchi, the Gulf state’s newly appointed Iranian ambassador. It is expected that the upcoming visit will center around de-escalating tensions over the gas field.[16] [17]

Ajam citizens

'Ajam of Kuwait (Persians of Kuwait)[18] [19] are Kuwaiti citizens of Iranian origin.[20] [21] Historically, Persian ports provided most of Kuwait's economic needs.[22] Marafi Behbahani was one of the first Iranian merchants to settle in Kuwait in the 18th century.[23]

Most Shia Kuwaiti citizens are of Iranian ancestry.[24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] However, many Kuwaitis of Iranian origin are Sunni Muslims such as the Al-Kandari and Awadhi families of Larestani ancestry.[31] Some Kuwaitis of Iranian Balochi origin are Sunni Muslim.[32] Balochi families first immigrated to Kuwait in the 19th century.[33]

The Persian sub-dialects of Larestani, Khonji, Bastaki and Gerashi have influenced the vocabulary of Kuwaiti Arabic.[34]

See also

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. News: 2022-08-14 . Kuwait names first ambassador to Iran in over six years . en . Reuters . 2023-08-25.
  2. Web site: 2023-05-14 . Iran appoints new ambassador to Kuwait, Mohammad Totonchi. . 2023-08-25 . Tehran Times . en.
  3. Web site: Albloshi. Hamad H.. Kuwait's careful balancing act with Iran, Saudi Arabia. Al-Monitor. 2018-07-28. 2018-05-24.
  4. Reflagging Kuwaiti Tankers: A U.S. Response in the Persian Gulf . Margaret G. . Wachenfeld . 1988 . Duke Law Journal . 174–202 . 3 . 1 . Duke University. 10.2307/1372550 . 1372550 .
  5. Iraqi Invasion of Kuwait as Turning Point in Iran-Saudi Relationship . 10.5539/jpl.v4n1p188 . ResearchGate. 2011 . Amiri . Reza Ekhtiari . Soltani . Fakhreddin . Journal of Politics and Law . 4 . free .
  6. Book: Security and bilateral issues between Iran and its Arab neighbours . 2017 . 240 . 978-3-319-43289-2. Ehteshami . Anoushiravan. Quilliam. Neil . Bahgat. Gawdat . 10.1007/978-3-319-43289-2 .
  7. News: Kuwait's relations with Iran 'excellent, historic' Relations didn't weaken after the KSA-Iranian diplomatic ties were cut on January 2nd 2016.. Kuwait News Agency.
  8. News: Kuwait says relations with Iran are 'excellent'. The National. https://web.archive.org/web/20210211013452/https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/gcc/kuwait-says-relations-with-iran-are-excellent-1.596101. 2021-02-11.
  9. Web site: Kuwait continues Iran straddle after Trump decision. The Washington Times. 2018-07-28.
  10. Web site: The Foreign Policy Implications of Kuwait's Vision 2035: Closer Economic Ties with Iran and Iraq. 4 June 2018. Payvand. Nader Habibi.
  11. Web site: 2020-03-18 . Kuwait donates $10m to support Iran's coronavirus battle . 2022-05-18 . Middle East Monitor . en-GB.
  12. Web site: 2020-03-17 . Kuwait sends aid to Iran to fight coronavirus . 2022-05-18 . IRNA English . en.
  13. News: Iran says Saudi-Kuwaiti deal on Durra gas development 'illegal' . 10 April 2022 . Reuters . Reuters . 26 March 2022.
  14. News: Kuwait, Saudi Arabia invite Iran to hold talks on gas-rich offshore zone -SPA . 17 April 2022 . Reuters . Reuters . 13 April 2022.
  15. Web site: What is the Kuwaiti-Iranian dispute over the Dorra/Arash gas field? . 2023-08-25 . www.aljazeera.com . en.
  16. Web site: 2023-08-03 . Kuwait Foreign Minister invited to Iran amid tensions over gas field – Middle East Monitor . 2023-08-25 . en-GB.
  17. News: 2023-08-03 . Kuwaiti foreign minister invited to Iran amid tensions over gas field . en . Reuters . 2023-08-25.
  18. http://www.alaan.cc/pagedetails.asp?nid=62432&cid=47 Article in AL-AAN online newspaper
  19. http://kuwait.tt/articledetails.aspx?Id=277773 Article by Waleed aj-Jasim in Al-Watan daily newspaper
  20. Web site: Policing Iranian Sanctions: Trade, Identity, and Smuggling Networks in the Arabian Gulf . 25–27 .
  21. Taqi . Hanan . 2010 . Two ethnicities, three generations: Phonological variation and change in Kuwait . PhD . Newcastle University . 5 December 2016 .
  22. Book: The Emergence of the Gulf States: Studies in Modern History . J. E. Peterson . 2016 . 107 . 978-1-4725-8762-6 . Bloomsbury .
  23. The Shia Migration from Southwestern Iran to Kuwait: Push-Pull Factors during the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries . Georgia State University. 2010. Mohammad E. Alhabib.
  24. Book: Citizenship and the State in the Middle East: Approaches and Applications. 2000. 190. 978-0-8156-2829-3. Butenschøn. Nils August. Davis. Uri. Hassassian. Manuel Sarkis.
  25. Book: Sectarian Politics in the Persian Gulf. 135. 978-0-19-023796-7. Potter. Lawrence G.. June 2014. Oxford University Press .
  26. Book: Transnational Shia Politics: Religious and Political Networks in the Gulf. 46-55. 978-1-84904-214-7. Louër. Laurence. 2011.
  27. Book: Ethnic Conflict and International Politics in the Middle East . . 1999 . 164 . Unlike the Shi'a of Saudi Arabia or Bahrain, the Kuwaiti Shi'a mostly are of Persian descent. . 978-0-8130-1687-0 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20131208101957/http://books.google.com/books?id=h96DAuS0dLkC&pg=PA164&dq . 8 December 2013 .
  28. Book: Business Politics in the Middle East . 2013 . 71. 978-1-84904-235-2 . Hertog . Steffen . Luciani . Giacomo . Valeri . Marc . Hurst Publishers .
  29. Book: Islam in the World Today: A Handbook of Politics, Religion, Culture, and Society . 2002 . 533. 0-8014-6489-7 . Ende . Werner . Steinbach . Udo . Cornell University Press .
  30. Web site: Political Activism Among the Shi'ah of Kuwait. 1. J.E. Peterson . 2009.
  31. Book: Rivka Azoulay. Kuwait and Al-Sabah: Tribal Politics and Power in an Oil State. 40. 2020. 978-1-83860-506-3.
  32. Web site: The Baluch Presence in the Persian Gulf . 742–743 . 2013.
  33. Book: The Shia Migration from Southwestern Iran to Kuwait: Push-Pull Factors during the Late Nineteenth and Early Twentieth Centuries . . 71–72 . 2012.
  34. Book: Lang & Linguistic in Bahrain Mon . 2013 . 11. 978-1-136-13626-9 . Al-Tajir .

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