Iran Tracker

Reaction to June 2009 Iranian Presidential Election:

In June, 2009, Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah congratulated Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on his re-election. He described Iran as a friend of Kuwait and expressed hope that Kuwait and Iran would continue to expand bilateral relationships in all fields. The Kuwaiti crown prince and prime minister, Nasir al-Muhammad al-Ahmad al-Sabah, also extended his congratulations to Ahmadinejad.[1] Following Ahmadinejad’s August 2009 inauguration, the Kuwaiti emir once again congratulated Ahmadinejad, wishing him success in his second term.[2]

Nuclear:

Kuwait has publicly stated that it accepts and will comply with all the UN Security Council sanctions against Iran’s nuclear enrichment program.[3] Despite Kuwait’s support for these measures, Jassem al-Kharafi, speaker of the Kuwaiti National Assembly, has said, "there are provocative Western statements, and Iran responds in the same way…I believe that a matter this sensitive needs dialogue not escalation."[4] Kuwait has stated that the United States should respect Iranian sovereignty and that Kuwait would not allow its territory to be used for any attacks against Iran’s nuclear program.[5]

Economic Relationship:

Iran and Kuwait are both members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and have thus cooperated in this multilateral economic domain for many years. Their common grounds in the energy sector have not always led to good relations between the two, however. Kuwait and Iran have disputed the ownership of the Arash/Durra offshore oil field for many years. In 2006, the Iranian Offshore Oil Company (IOOC) held talks with Kuwait to discuss jointly developing the field, a move which has helped to overcome some of the political resistance to increasing cooperation between the two.[6]

Iran and Kuwait held their first Economic Commission in January 2008, a meeting which served to create a political platform for more financial connections between the countries. The two have agreed to increase their cooperation and have signed agreements stating they will develop greater economic ties in the future.[7]

In November 2009, Iranian Oil Minister Masoud Mirkazemi and Kuwaiti Oil Minister Sheikh Ahmad Al-Abdullah Al-Sabah met in Tehran to discuss Iranian gas exports to Kuwait.  These discussions reflect the improving relations between Iran and Kuwait after a period of tension over political and sectarian differences.[8]

The Head of Iran’s Gas Transportation Company claimed in January 2010 that Kuwait has expressed interest in linking its gas network to Iran’s cross-country gas network. “Iran’s gas network has already expanded to Khorramshahr in southern Iran and it’s possible to further extend the network to Kuwait,” said Reza Almasi. He also revealed that the plan to link the two countries’ gas networks includes building a submarine pipeline to Kuwait’s border, which he said is possible in a short time considering the infrastructure of the southern Iranian province of Khuzestan.[9] Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mihmanparast also voiced his country’s willingness to hold a bilateral meeting with Kuwaiti experts regarding shared oil fields. In his weekly press briefing, Mihmanparast said “we previously voiced willingness to hold a meeting with the Kuwaiti side to reach an outcome in this regard.” His comments were in response to statements made by Kuwaiti Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr Mohammad Sabah Al-Salem Al-Sabah two days ago, regarding the oil fields in question. “It is a good opportunity to talk with Kuwaiti officials on these issues and we hope efforts exerted in this regard have good results,” he noted.[10]

[Click here for more information on Kuwait’s business activity with Iran.]

Diplomatic/Military Relationship:

Kuwaiti and Iranian memberships in OPEC and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) have provided a forum to enhance political cooperation between the two countries. Kuwaiti-Iranian international relations have been difficult since Iran’s Islamic Revolution in 1979, a situation further exacerbated by Kuwait’s support of Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War from 1980 to 1988. Since the end of the war more than two decades ago, however, Kuwait and Iran have been working to better their political relationship. In 2005, Iran’s Foreign Minister Manoucher Mottaki met with Kuwait’s Prime Minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad As-Sabah, conveying “Iran’s message of peace, friendship and willingness to expand friendly ties with all regional countries, particularly with Kuwait.” The Kuwaiti Prime Minister responded that “blossoming Iran-Kuwait ties would definitely have positive effects on regional peace and stability, particularly between Iran and the other Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (PGCC) member-states.”[11] Since this friendly encounter, greater bilateral economic cooperation has helped improve the political atmosphere between the two countries, even as Kuwait has complied with the UN Security Council against Iran’s nuclear enrichment program.

In November 2009, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki visited Kuwait City to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries, including in economic and environmental issues.  Mottaki said that the selection of Kuwait as the next host for the Persian Gulf Cooperation (PGCC) Summit will allow Kuwait to take “important steps toward regional interaction.”[12]

During a meeting with head of Kuwaiti Parliament Foreign Policy Committee Marzouq Al-Ghanim in Kuwait City, the chairman of the Iranian Majlis National Security and Foreign Policy Committee said that Iran is ready to sign bilateral and multilateral security agreements with its regional Arab neighbors. The senior lawmaker added that Tehran opposes the presence of foreign forces in the region, saying the security should be provided by regional nations themselves. Al-Ghanim also called for expansion of ties between Iran and regional Arab nations and asserted that Iran's nuclear activities and regional crises should serve as a model for the countries in the region.[13]

Kuwaiti Ambassador to Tehran Majdi Ahmad Ebrahim Al-Zafiri has stated that countries in the region do not believe Iran poses a threat. "Some neighboring countries might have different views in this regard but generally speaking, all of them unanimously say that Iran does not pose a threat to any other country," Al-Zafiri said in a meeting with Iranian officials in the southern province of Bushehr.[14] Elsewhere, he referred to the bilateral and economic ties between the two countries and expressed his hope that the volume of trade exchanges between the two countries would increase further and praised Iran for promoting economic, social, and cultural in the region.[15]

[Click here for more information on the Gulf Cooperation Council]