President Ebrahim Raisi’s visit to Riyadh and the Iran-Saudi Arabia relationship is fast acquiring a qualitatively new level of solidarity in the context of the Palestine-Israel conflict

The bottom line is how the IMEC idea on paper can be turned into reality. Quite obviously, the IMEC is anchored on the old US geopolitical strategy of divide-and-rule in the Middle East. But the Western domination of the Middle East cannot be revived with the colonial era toolbox in the coming era of multipolarity

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

Ebrahim Raisi is on a five-day state visit to Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua — Latin American countries that have been similarly affected by stringent US sanctions and hegemonic politics 

While the details are not clear and no confirmation has been made by the other countries, the alliance is expected to be an alternative to the existing US-led naval force in the region with strong backing from China

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

NewsClick’s Prabir Purkyastha analyzes the recent developments in West Asia, including discussions between countries which have long been hostile to each other. He also talks about the US response to these initiatives

Evidently, the regional states are tapping the “feel-good” generated by the Saudi-Iranian deal. There are signs of an overall easing of tensions