Syria: the path to conflict resolution is open
After more than a year of behind-the-scenes diplomacy, Syria’s membership in the Arab League of States (LAS) was finally restored when Arab foreign ministers reached a consensus on an issue that has been causing sharp divisions since the start of the Syrian crisis 12 years ago. On May 7, the Arab League’s foreign ministers…
Washington Wooing Saudi Against China’s Gulf Dominance
The recent China-brokered rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran has really shaken Washington’s understanding of the reach of China’s global geopolitical clout. China’s active diplomacy announced, yet again, a formal end of Beijing’s long-cherished policy of ‘non-interference.’ Beijing is now actively intervening, although diplomatically and not militarily, across the world to remove various geopolitical blockades (e.g., regional rivalries encouraged by the US) imposed by the US across the world to maintain its own hegemony. For China, it is crucial…
Why did Jake Sullivan fly to Saudi Arabia?
The unconditional further strengthening of Saudi Arabia’s authority and influence in the Middle East in the recent period has significantly increased the general interest in developing relations with the kingdom. This is especially true of the “beacon of democracy,” the United States, and its closest ally in the Middle East, Israel. Ten years ago, in assessing Saudi Arabia’s international activities, many assumed that Riyadh preferred to give money to various elements in the region and entrust them with protecting its interests…
The US seeks to drive a wedge between Russia and the UAE
While the United States and the European Union are unified on the issue of Ukraine, the UAE has chosen a neutral posture, which has generated worry in Western capitals. Consequently, the Emirates, in pursuit of long-term economic growth, is taking an “easier” approach to commercial issues, bolstering its position as an international transportation hub connecting Africa, Asia, and Europe. The openness of the Emirati economy has drawn many Russians caught up in Western sanctions, for whom asset transfers in the UAE have become a way out of a financial deadlock, as well as a free platform…
Saudi Arabia in keeping with the Politics of a Multipolar World
Saudi Arabia, led by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, who is effectively the kingdom’s leader due to his father the king’s late age, has pursued a strong foreign policy, both regionally and globally. China arranged an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, easing long-standing tensions between…
Saudi Arabia is Building the Country of the Future
Since the activization of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s position and activities, the Saudi authorities’ resolve to make significant changes in the Kingdom’s foreign policy and image has been particularly strongly disputed. Back in 2017, he predicted that the world would eventually transit to alternate energy sources everywhere, rendering gas and oil…
Syria on the Way to a Possible Settlement of the Conflict
The talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, which took place in Moscow, were a great success. The Russian leader emphasized that substantial progress in the Syrian Arab Republic’s battle against international terrorism has been made possible by the nations’ combined efforts and the vital role played…
The Collapse of U.S. Policy in the Middle East
Now, it is abundantly clear that the United States’ dishonest and aggressive Middle East strategy, which is at odds with the aspirations of the Arab world, has utterly failed. The establishment of a multipolar world by Russia, China, and Iran was a significant milestone in this process. The convergence of these three nations and the global support for this new diplomatic triangle…
China is Making the ‘New’ Middle East
This was inevitable. When the US started to strategically withdraw from the Middle East and shifted its focus towards Southeast Asia and (Eastern) Europe to contain its two rivals (China and Russia), the Middle East was left without a traditional balancer. Without making an orientalist argument and arguing that the Middle East always needed an external ‘balancer’…
A positive new milestone in Saudi-Iranian relations
According to a joint statement issued following talks in Beijing, Saudi Arabia and Iran have agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen embassies. It also confirmed the two parties’ agreement to mutual sovereignty and non-interference in each other’s affairs. According to the statement, the two countries agreed to reopen their embassies within two months, while the foreign…
Iran and Saudi Arabia – rivalry or partnership?
Iran and Saudi Arabia stand out among many Middle Eastern states in terms of their status, historical content, natural resources, and scale. The regional security of the Middle East is also affected by the state of relations between Tehran and Riyadh, because each of them represents one of the Islamic world’s currents (Shiism and Sunnism), and their unique geographical...
Will there be reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia?
The relationship between Iran and Saudi Arabia is now the focus of attention not only by their immediate neighbors, as the stability of the Middle East and the situation in their rival countries, such as Yemen, Bahrain, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, depends on the development of this relationship. According to anecdotal evidence leaked to the media, Iranian leaders...