The relationship between the two great indigenous powers in the Middle East – Saudi Arabia and Iran – has become significantly more nuanced in the past few weeks than the pure enmity between the two countries that prevailed before. On the Saudi side, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman stated only recently that he seeks “a good and special relationship with Iran…We do not want Iran’s situation to be difficult, on the contrary, we want Iran to grow… and to push the region and the world towards prosperity.” From the Iran side, a high-level delegation conducted lengthy meetings with Saudi counterparts shortly after that statement was made in a secret summit in Baghdad brokered by Iraq Prime Minister, Mustafa al-Kadhimi. Iraq, for its part, is playing a crucial role in this rapprochement announcing in tandem with these recent events that Baghdad will establish a joint US$6 billion with Saudi Arabia […]