IN a remarkable display of quiet diplomacy, Saudi Arabia and Iran have announced their intentions of normalising bilateral relations. China, which had lately taken steps to deepen its political and economic ties with both nations, was a natural choice as mediator.
Will this rapprochement last long enough to underpin a much-needed regional stability? Will it work this time, considering many such efforts in the past failed? Will the US make counter moves to check the growing influence of China in the Middle East? And, how would this affect Pakistan? These are important questions, the answers to which will profoundly affect the region and the world at large.
Saudi Arabia of recent years has been changing at a rapid pace. Its young and dynamic crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, is spearheading the ‘transformation’. The country is diversifying its economy and reducing its reliance on oil exports. The Saudi Vision 2030 envisages its role as a hub that would “connect three continents: Africa, Asia and Europe”. Socially, Saudi society is shedding much of the conservatism that had come to define Arabia under the House of Saud.