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OPINION MARCH 24, 2023 | The Indian Eye 11

Arabia are strategic partners and
Saudi Arabia is an important re-
gional ally of the US in West Asia,
its normalizing of relations with Iran
at a time when Vienna nuclear talks
remain inconclusive, points towards
a tough road ahead for their bilateral
relationship. Besides, the agreement
brings China to the Gulf region as an
actor interested in regional security
and as a geopolitical challenger to
the US. Saudi Arabia taking foreign
policy decisions concerning Iran with
Chinese mediation is a snub to the US.
While the US has traditionally
adopted the policy of divide and rule
and has pitted one country against
another, China has, through media-
tion, brought Saudi Arabia and Iran
together successfully. By doing so,
China intends to shape the percep-
tion of the international community
about its image and role as a neutral
and benevolent player in the turbu-
lent Gulf region.
Saudi–Iran rapprochement will The successful Chinese mediation looks like the beginning of a new era of Chinese influence in the Gulf (File photo)
have an impact on the Israel–Saudi
Arabia relationship. Although Sau- and political support. China has also China Summit for Cooperation and also depend upon the success of the
di Arabia and Israel do not have a defied the US sanctions and has con- Development meeting in Riyadh in agreement to provide a protective
formal diplomatic relationship, they tinued to buy oil from Iran. There December 2022, President Xi ex- shield to Saudi Arabia against the
have been holding indirect talks in has been a regular exchange of visits pressed interest to contribute to the Houthi attacks. Thirdly, Iran would
recent times. In the aftermath of between the two at the highest levels. regional security in Gulf by support- be concerned over the extent to which
the Abraham Accords that led to Saudi Arabia has also estab- ing and cooperating with the GCC the agreement will help to ending its
the UAE and Bahrain normalizing lished a strong economic relationship countries. The successful Chinese isolation, facilitating the Vienna nu-
relations with Israel, there is a lot with China. Saudi Arabia is the larg- mediation looks like the beginning clear talks and lifting the sanctions
of speculation about Saudi Arabia est exporter of oil to China. There is of a new era of Chinese influence in imposed on it. If key concerns of
joining the Abraham Accords. Israel a convergence of interests between the Gulf. To be able to maintain its both the countries are not addressed
wanted Saudi Arabia too to join the the two over the Chinese Belt and presence in the US-dominated Gulf after the agreement is implement-
Abraham Accords. Road Initiative (BRI) and the Saudi though would be the real litmus test ed, there is a possibility that situa-
But the Kingdom restoring ties Vision 2030 where both have com- for China. tion may go back to the square one.
with Iran has come as a severe jolt to mitted to cooperating with each oth- The rapprochement puts a check The agreement is a positive
the Israeli ambitions. Israeli Prime er. Chinese President Xi Jinping vis- on the widening gap between the two move to break the impasse, but a lot
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ited Riyadh in December 2022 and regional powers. Despite the opti- depends upon maintaining the mo-
blamed the failure of President Joe held talks with the Saudi leadership mism exhibited by both Iran and Sau- mentum that has been gained as a
Biden’s regional policy and the pol- and the GCC leaders as well. di Arabia, there still remain a num- result of the talks. Further, the issues
icies of previous governments of Although China has tradition- ber of challenges before them. First of discord between them are numer-
Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett for ally maintained ties with the Gulf of all, how far can Iran address and ous and complex. Cooperation over
the success of the agreement. Isra- countries mainly on trade and energy alleviate the Saudi sensitivities and non-controversial issues such as bi-
el’s relationship with the Gulf Arabs issues, in recent times, it has made concerns about the peaceful nature lateral trade, investment, culture and
still remains challenging as regional statements on the regional security of its nuclear programme remains so on is relatively easy to sustain but
geopolitics continue to unfold faster issues in the Gulf. In the first GCC– a big question. Secondly, a lot will forging cooperation on security mat-
than expected. ters will take time and require more
Chinese mediation between negotiations and trust between them.
Saudi Arabia and Iran conveys a
significant change in the status quo Dr Prasanta Kumar Pradhan is Re-
in the regional geopolitics in West search Fellow at the Manohar Parri-
Asia. China, as a mediator, has been kar Institute for Defense Studies and
acceptable to Saudi Arabia and Iran, Analyses, New Delhi
as both countries enjoy a strong re- Views expressed are of the author and
lationship with it. China has sup- do not necessarily reflect the views of
ported Iran over a number of issues the Manohar Parrikar IDSA or of the
including the nuclear issue. In 2021, Government of India.
they signed a comprehensive long-
term agreement for 25 years whereby This article first appeared in the
China pledged to invest around US$ Comments section of the website (www.
400 billion in Iran in different sec- The rapprochement puts a check on the widening gap between idsa.in) of Manohar Parrikar Institute
tors. Facing sanctions from the US, the two regional powers (File photo) for Defense Studies and Analyses, New
Iran has looked up to China for trade Delhi on March 14, 2023

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