The Saudi-Iran "peace deal" is a promising development in the ongoing rivalry between the two regional powers. China should be applauded for whatever role they played in moving things forward. But the "deal" is being blown massively out of proportion. While some analysts see the Chinese role in these negotiations as a challenge to American power, commentators that actually know the region argue that it does not necessarily threaten American interests and could even present opportunities for the United States.
The fact is that Saudi Arabia and Iran have been tentatively exploring restoring relations for four years now. The "Deal" we're celebrating consists of incremental moves and tenuous commitments that are already being argued over by various regional actors. We should all hope that the deal lasts, but if it were to fall apart tomorrow, there really isn't much that China can do about it. In today's podcast we tease out the implications, or lack thereof for Yemen, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and the Saudi relationship with the United States.
This episode's discussion of the massive new purchase of Boeing 737s by Saudi Arabia was heavily influenced by Rob's favorite substack, Foreign Exchanges, you should check those guys out...
https://fx.substack.com/