During his visit to Saudi Arabia, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken reassured Gulf diplomats of the unwavering commitment of the United States to its partners in the Gulf Arab region. Blinken’s remarks come at a critical juncture marked by dynamic changes in regional alliances.
US remains invested in Gulf partnerships, Blinken tells diplomats
The United States remains committed to its Gulf Arab partners, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Gulf diplomats in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, at a time of rapidly shifting regional alliances.
Blinken spoke during a Gulf Cooperation Council ministerial meeting in the capital Riyadh, following talks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and the kingdom’s de-facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
The meetings came a day after Blinken flew into Jeddah, kickstarting a visit aimed at boosting ties with ally Saudi Arabia, which has begun forging closer relations with Washington’s rivals.
Relations between the decades-old allies have been strained in recent times, mainly over human rights and oil, after US pleas for help in bringing down skyrocketing prices last year were dismissed.
The three-day visit is Blinken’s first since the kingdom restored diplomatic ties with Iran, which the West considers a pariah over its contested nuclear activities and involvement in regional conflicts.
On Tuesday, the day Blinken arrived, Iran reopened its embassy in Riyadh after a seven-year closure, with Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Alireza Bigdeli hailing a “new era” in ties.
On the same day, Prince Mohammed hosted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, the head of a fellow oil power who has long sparred with Washington.
Last month, in a major shift, Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad attended an Arab League summit in Jeddah, his first since Syria’s membership was suspended at the start of its 12-year civil war. Washington criticized the decision to invite Assad.
Wednesday’s meeting at the GCC headquarters in Riyadh was attended by Qatar’s prime minister among other leading Gulf officials.
On the agenda were key regional issues, including conflicts in Yemen, Sudan, Syria and the Palestinian territories.
Since announcing resumed relations with Iran in March, Saudi Arabia has restored ties with Tehran ally Syria and ramped up a push for peace in Yemen, where it has for years led a military coalition against the Iran-backed Huthi rebels.
The meeting, which lasted about 100 minutes, touched on topics including Saudi Arabia’s support for US evacuations from Sudan, the need for political dialogue in Yemen and the potential for the normalization of relations with Israel.
Khalil Wakim, with AFP
