Iraq played the role of mediator in a series of secret meetings between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Comments from MbS in April 2021 paved the way for improved relations between Tehran and Riyadh. The positive comments towards Iran from MbS came at around the same time that Aramco was broadening and deepening its cooperation with China. The rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran comes at a time when Riyadh is looking to deepen cooperation with both China and Russia. Given the centuries-long hatred between regional rivals, Iran and Saudi Arabia, last week’s comments by Iran’s President, Ebrahim Raisi, that there have been five rounds of meetings between high-level personnel from Tehran and Riyadh in recent months has drawn surprisingly little attention. This is all the more surprising, given that Raisi then cited Iraq – which apparently played the role of mediator between the two sides – as praising: “The […]