Despite its best efforts, Washington believes that the chances of an Israel-Saudi normalization agreement are less than 50%, according to senior U.S. administration officials cited by The New York Times.
Last week, White House Coordinator for the Middle East and North Africa Brett McGurk led an unpublicized delegation to Saudi Arabia. The trip came days after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the kingdom, and then briefed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the Saudi demands during a 40-minute phone call.
Leaving Saudi Arabia—a nation we have shared 80 years of partnership with—I am heartened by the new avenues for cooperation we've created with Saudi and @GCC partners. Together, we will continue our urgent work on Sudan, ensure ISIS stays defeated, and tackle global challenges. pic.twitter.com/EqyqwoQr1z
— Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) June 8, 2023
These demands reportedly include U.S. assistance with Riyadh’s civilian nuclear program, and security guarantees.
White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan visited Saudi Arabia on May 7.
Saudi Arabia moves closer to Iran
The report comes amid warming relations between Riyadh and Tehran following the reestablishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries in March in an agreement mediated by Beijing.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan arrived in Iran on Saturday in the first visit to the country by a Saudi official in more than seven years. Riyadh severed relations with Tehran in 2016 after its diplomatic missions there and in Mashhad were attacked following Saudi Arabia’s execution of a prominent Shi’ite religious leader.
Prince Fasail met with his Iranian counterpart and other top officials in Tehran, including Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who just returned from Venezuela. The Iranian president criticized Israel during his talks with the Saudi foreign minister.
Iran's President Raisi meets with the Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. pic.twitter.com/fePbT4TI3n
— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) June 17, 2023
“Only the enemies of Islam, led by the Zionist regime, are upset with the progress in bilateral and regional cooperation between Iran and Saudi Arabia,” said Raisi, according to the Iranian state news agency IRNA.
Raisi also voiced his opposition to normalization efforts between Arab countries and Israel.
“The Zionist regime is not only an enemy of the Palestinians, it is a threat to all Muslims. The normalization of relations with Israel not only fails to promote security but also goes against the opinions of the Islamic Ummah [community].”
