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iran saudi arabia deal

Iran's Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian and Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud hold a press conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Middle East

As diplomatic thaw continues, Saudi Arabia and Iran exchange ambassadors

The rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran continued this week when the two Middle East powers exchanged ambassadors for the first time in seven years. This comes after they reopened embassies in each other's capitals over the past few months as part of a groundbreaking detente.

Garbage bags that have been piling up on the pavement as waste collectors are on strike since March 6 to protest against the French government's proposed pensions reform, in Paris on March 27, 2023.
News

Hard Numbers: Eiffel Tower of trash, ELN attack, Saudi-China lovefest, drill baby drill is back, dream on Lesotho

Saudi Arabia will become the ninth dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, the first step toward full membership in the China-led security bloc.

Xi Jinping opens his arms on a background of a globe tinted with yellow and turquoise colors
by ian bremmer

Washington watches as Beijing bargains

The US should see both risks and opportunities in China’s more ambitious global diplomatic role.

Diplomats from Saudi Arabia, China and Iran at a summit in Beijing.
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​Is China’s Saudi-Iran diplomatic deal for real?

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto decision maker known as MBS, once said Iran’s supreme leader “makes Hitler look good.” So why has he bought into a new diplomatic deal brokered by ... China?

Ukrainian service members fire a mortar towards Russian troops outside the frontline town of Bakhmut, in Donetsk region, Ukraine March 6, 2023.
News

What We’re Watching: Battle for Bakhmut, Xi’s diplomatic muscle, AUKUS sub deal

The Bakhmut killing field; Xi’s upcoming Moscow trip; AUKUS phase two

​China brokers deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia
Quick Take

​China brokers deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia

Ian Bremmer's Quick Take: China's big announcement is a breakthrough diplomatic deal negotiated by Xi Jinping, between Saudi Arabia and Iran. That's a big deal for a China that historically would have played no leadership role in any major negotiations outside of things that are of critical national security importance in Asia, in their backyard. And here we have Xi Jinping announcing a deal that the Americans, the Europeans, literally played no role in and couldn't play a role.