Saudi Arabia

For three decades Thai-Saudi relations had suffered over a diplomatic row involving stolen Saudi jewelry and the unsolved murders of several Saudi diplomats in Thailand.  Al Jazeera in its article, “Saudi Arabia restores ties with Thailand after gem theft dispute,” would explain: In 1989, Thailand-born janitor Kriangkrai Techamong stole $20m worth of precious gems…

After Israel signed the Abraham Accords in 2020 to normalize relations with the UAE and Bahrain, and then with Morocco, whether Saudi Arabia will be next in line in this process is being actively discussed in the United States, Israel, and the Middle East in general. The intensity of such discussions increased…

The United States has now increasingly engaged in a disinformation efforts through media under its sway, national intelligence agencies, and numerous other avenues, with the express purpose of bringing Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud into disrepute. Prince Mohammed’s alleged involvement in the assassination…

In recent years, Saudi Arabia and Iran have intensified bilateral talks to resolve existing differences to stabilize the regional situation. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran, the two country’s foreign ministries discuss some serious issues, not least of which is the situation in Yemen…

The situation of women in the Arab world may seem very difficult to many people and is almost the same throughout the region. But in fact, Arab countries are distinctly different, and many of them have changed significantly in recent times, including women’s status. There are Arab countries where the situation of women was very vulnerable throughout the 20th century, such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait…

One of the least noted political movements of recent times has been the gradual reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Iran. They recently held their fourth meeting this year in Baghdad, to almost no mention in the western media. It is only one of several movements by Saudi Arabia to gradually moving away from the United States’ orbit…

With Joe Biden’s arrival in the White House, several irritants have once again come to the forefront in US-Saudi Arabia relations. The Saudis are unhappy with President Biden’s intention to return to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in relations with Iran, as well as the US refusal to see the Houthi movement in Yemen as a “terrorist organization…

While the twentieth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks has been marked by the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the end of the US’ longest ever war is also seeing some significant changes in the US geo-politics. Specifically, the arrival of Joe Biden in the White House has set in motion forces that could dramatically redefine the nature of US ties with one of its closest allies…

The ignominious US withdrawal from Afghanistan has blown a global hole in the post-1945 American Century system of elaborate world domination, a power vacuum that likely will lead to irreversible consequences. The immediate case in point is whether Biden’s Washington strategists—as he clearly makes no policy—have already managed to lose…

In 2020, Saudi Arabia ranked sixth worldwide in military spending, totaling $57.5 billion spent. Presently, the largest suppliers of weapons to the kingdom are NATO member states, and above all the United States. The US Congress has repeatedly called for an end to arms sales to Riyadh in the face of the ongoing war in Yemen…

With Saudi Arabia’s ‘Vision 2030’ already in full motion, it has become increasingly clear that the purpose of this massive and multi-billion dollar economic transformation plan is not just to transform and diversify Saudia’s oil-dependent economy; rather a cardinal objective of this plan is to restore Saudia Arabia’s central position within…

In May 2017, when Saudia’s crown prince Mohammad bin Salman (MBSDahJTkfw was asked about prospects of direct talks with Iran, he rejected any possibility of such a venture. Back then MBS was politically strong, he was a lot more acceptable in the West, especially the US, and he could, at least in his own calculation, have his cake and eat it too vis-à-vis Iran. As such, back then MBS was more than ready…