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Kuwaiti emir seeks to bridge Saudi-Iran divide

In a historic visit to Iran, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah has signaled a further thaw in Iran’s ties to its Gulf neighbors.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani (L) greets Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah (R) upon his arrival in Tehran on June 1, 2014. Kuwait's Emir started a landmark visit to Tehran focused on mending fences between Shiite Iran and the Sunni-ruled monarchies in the Gulf. AFP PHOTO/ATTA KENARE        (Photo credit should read ATTA KENARE/AFP/Getty Images)

TEHRAN, Iran — Murmurings on the opposite sides of the Gulf are getting louder. Iran and its Gulf neighbors are rebuilding burnt bridges despite numerous policy differences, especially between Iran and Saudi Arabia and over Syria. While no one is predicting a breakthrough, there are clear signs of a thaw since last year’s election of Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, whose administration has given priority to improving ties with the Arab Gulf states.

A case in point is this week's visit by the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Sabah, who arrived in Iran on June 1. The visit is being described as historic, the first such trip since he became emir in 2006, and comes in the context of a gradual improvement in bilateral ties.

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