Saudi Arabia which was on the cusp of advancing normalization, has now been forced to take a step back as support for the Palestinian cause and rejection of Israel has skyrocketed

In an attempt to strengthen bilateral relations in West Asia, Russian president Vladimir Putin visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE on December 6.

According to the Yemeni delegation, the talks were focused on critical issues related to payment of salaries, lifting of the blockade, and withdrawal of foreign troops. The Saudi-led international coalition continues to maintain a devastating blockade on Houthi-controlled regions

The Saudi and Iranian embassies had already resumed operations over the previous months. The developments are a result of an agreement in March which was brokered with Chinese mediation

Despite repeated high-level visits, US officials have so far failed to convince the Saudis to normalize relations with Israel. The recent visit by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also confirms speculation that Gulf Cooperation Council countries are striving for more autonomy

The two regional powers—at loggerheads for the last seven years after Saudi Arabia executed prominent Shia cleric Nimr al-Nimr—officially re-established diplomatic relations after a historic deal mediated by China in March

The traditional US approach has been to whip up Iranophobia to rally Gulf states but that ploy won’t work anymore. The Gulf states are steadily expanding their strategic autonomy and pursuing independent foreign policies to advance their national interests and promote peace and reconciliation in the region

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan became the first high official from his country to visit Damascus since the war in Syria broke out in 2011. Farhan met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and discussed the process of Syria’s reintegration into regional politics

The Oman-mediated peace talks to end the nine-year-old war in Yemen received a boost after China brokered a rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia last month. Media reports say Saudi Arabia and the Houthis agreed on the draft of a ceasefire agreement last month, which lays out the plan for a more detailed negotiation

The announcement came during a meeting of the foreign ministers of the two countries in Beijing, less than a month after the historic China-brokered agreement to restore bilateral relations was announced

Saudi Arabia’s decision to join SCO, a strategic initiative led by China and Russia, is being viewed as another instance of its gradual shift towards the East. The Gulf country is also attempting to join BRICS Plus

The China-brokered rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia may signify the onset of peace and stability in the larger West Asian region, as well as blunt the influence of imperialist interventions