Just when you thought things couldn’t get stranger, the regional powers of the Middle East decided to kiss and make up.
Saudi Arabia and Iran, two often-opposing rivals in the region, have agreed to rebuild their relationship and are expecting to reopen embassies within the next two months. This new security agreement came after diplomatic talks in Beijing, which is surely a comfort for American politicos. I’m sure Biden’s advisors are quietly sweating what this may mean for the future of Chinese influence in the Middle East.
The two countries broke off ties in 2016 after Iranian protesters invaded Saudi diplomatic posts in Iran. Saudi Arabia had executed a prominent Shia Muslim scholar days earlier, which triggered the demonstrations. Shia-majority Iran and Sunni-majority Saudi Arabia support opposing sides in several conflicts across the Middle East, particularly in Yemen, where the Houthi rebels have been backed by Tehran while Riyadh leads a military coalition propping up the government.
The Saudi Press Agency confirmed the agreement when it published a joint statement from Saudi Arabia and Iran, saying that the two countries agreed to respect state sovereignty and not interfere in each other’s internal affairs. We’ll see what effect this new blossoming relationship has on the people of Yemen, who have been under constant siege and bombardment for years in a proxy war between the two nations.
“Removing misunderstandings and the future-oriented views in relations between Tehran and Riyadh will definitely lead to improving regional stability and security as well as increasing cooperation among Persian Gulf nations and the world of Islam for managing current challenges.”
-Ali Shamkhani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran
Side Items
Michigan Repeals Right to Work: democrats in the Michigan house of representatives passed a bill repealing the right-to-work law that republicans enacted in 2012. For the new bill to become law, the state senate, which democrats also control, would need to pass it and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer would need to sign it, as she has signaled she will. Democrats gained control of the Michigan house and senate in last year’s elections. Repealing this law, which prohibits public and private unions from requiring that nonunion employees pay union dues even if the union bargains on their behalf, has been a top priority for democrats since they took full control of the state government earlier this year
Can’t Trust Saudi Royalty: These sneaky boys are really trying to trade normalizing relations with Israel for security assurances from Biden and help with developing a civilian nuclear program. Personally, if I can’t trust you with a bone saw, I’m probably not helping you develop nukes, but again, that’s just me
Mass Shooting in Germany: A gunman killed several people at a Jehovah’s Witness hall in Hamburg, Germany. The coward shot and killed six people before killing himself at a Jehovah's Witness worship hall in Hamburg, in an attack that is bound to renew calls for stricter gun control. Unlike Americans, who grow more and more accustomed to gruesome mass violence and daily shootings, the Germans might actually pass legislation as a result of this tragedy