Saudi Arabia and Iran recently agreed to normalize ties between the two regional powers after seven years. The 966 speaks with three top voices to understand the deal and the potential road ahead for Saudi Arabia, Iran, China, the United States, and other regional and global players.Full audio podcast here:
First, the hosts speak with the top spokesperson for the Saudi embassy in Washington, Fahad Nazer, to discuss the recent announcement that the Kingdom and Iran would normalize relations after 7 years. The deal was agreed to and announced in China, raising eyebrows in Washington and heightening concerns that China’s influence in the Middle East region is rising. But Nazer noted that the Kingdom’s foreign policy is not a “zero-sum” game, and that relations with other regional and global actors are not reflective of its relationship with the United States, with which Saudi Arabia has a long and historic partnership.
Next, the hosts welcome on Dr. Jon Alterman, senior vice president and director of the Middle East Program at CSIS in Washington about the surprise development. Dr. Alterman noted that the Saudi move with Iran is “part of a broader Saudi strategy to re-orient the relationship with the United States” and that the decision is a change for an emerging Saudi Arabia in the region. But Alterman also noted that Saudi Arabia will likely still be relying on American security guarantees.
Then, the hosts welcome on Dr. Abdulaziz Alghashian, a scholar and researcher with a focus on Saudi-Israeli relations, who discusses the regional view on the recently-announced, China-brokered Saudi-Iran deal to normalize relations. What’s the view from Riyadh and what are the implications for Israel and other regional actors? The 966 welcomes Dr. Abdulaziz back onto the program to answer these questions and chat about the implications for the region going forward.
