After Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to calm down tensions and choose the path of diplomacy to resolve their differences, Israel was one of the countries which showed concern with it. This is because of its implications not only on its position on Iran’s regional policy, but also on China’s role in the Middle East against the role of its American ally.
Fears have increased in Israel about the new Chinese-Iranian-Saudi axis which could also include Iraq. Tel Aviv expects that this alliance will isolate it regionally and threaten the desired expansion of the “Abrahamic Accords”, and thus its efforts to strengthen a regional alliance against Teheran.
There were many critical reactions to the agreement, considering it an undermining of Israel’s efforts to confront Iran. Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett confirmed that the agreement is a terrible blow to efforts to build a regional alliance against Iran. It is also a complete defeat for the Netanyahu government, caused by a combination of political neglect, economic weakness and internal conflicts in Israel. It also reflects that the countries of the world and the region see that Israel is divided.
In the end, it can be said that the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran spoiled Netanyahu’s card of escalation against Teheran to get out of his country’s internal crisis that has been confronting him for a month. However, the arenas of confrontation between the two sides are still continuing, whether in the Middle East or on Iran’s borders through Azerbaijan.
[by Huda Rauf in Independent Arabia]
A remarkable rise of China in the Middle East is seen in recent years. The Chinese influence previously focused only on economic areas. But in recent years there was a new manifestation of this influence, coinciding with the growth of economic cooperation with the countries of the region, including its military, diplomacy and geopolitics.
The Middle East region is one of the most important geo-economic regions for China, whether by virtue of its oil imports from it or the fact that this region is a cornerstone of the Belt and Road Initiative. The region includes most of the sea routes necessary for the completion of such projects, whether it is Suez Canal, the Bosphorus Straits, Dardanelles, Bab Al-Mandab or Hormuz.
Finally, the most prominent step in this context was the announcement of an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran in March 2023.
Chinese mediation has led the restoration of relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran to a new stage in which China will engage in substantial diplomatic roles in areas far from its strategic areas, and in a highly sensitive manner. This is to ensure that its influence and relations in the region are not limited only to the economic sector. It also wants to engage in geopolitical connections in the region.
China, not Russia, is the closest competitor to the United States, for the leadership of the world order. American officials believe that China is the real threat to the continuation of the current unipolar world order represented by the United States.
[by Tarek Diab in Arabi Post]
Compiled and translated by Faizul Haque