Saudi Arabia cements ties with Sudan during Burhan visit as UAE rivalry heats up The Sudanese leader may be looking to increase Saudi support following losses on the battlefield as Riyadh weighs its security interests in the country. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia and Qatar ink high-speed rail deal advancing Gulf integration Saudi Arabia is seeking to boost its railway infrastructure, and longstanding efforts to connect Gulf states by train are finally gaining momentum. Saudi Arabia
China, UAE to hold third air force drills as defense ties warm: What we know China and the United Arab Emirates are further deepening their defense and military ties with a third round of aerial exercises. United Arab Emirates
Meloni to attend GCC summit in Bahrain as Italy deepens Gulf ties The summit is expected to focus on economic integration in the Gulf, but regional issues will likely loom just as large, including post-war Gaza and the conflict in Sudan. Bahrain
Analysis F-35s, chips but no security guarantees: What MBS achieved — and didn’t — in Washington By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Middle East developments rattle sidelined Ankara Some argue that Ankara has to return to its former position of active neutrality if it is to regain lost influence in the region and contribute to stability. Saudi Arabia
Saudi crown prince rattles Turkish Islamists Supporters of Turkey’s Islamist government claim Mohammed bin Salman’s aim to push for moderate Islam in Saudi Arabia is motivated by US imperial designs against Muslims. Saudi Arabia
How new joint US-GCC sanctions will impact Qatar crisis After Qatar joined Saudi Arabia and the United States in imposing new sanctions on individuals suspected of financing terror groups in Yemen, it will be harder for the GCC states involved in the blockade of Qatar to make their case to Washington. Saudi Arabia
Iran's media unconcerned with Iraq-Saudi Arabia rapprochement Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi’s recent trips to Saudi Arabia appear to have been coordinated to reduce Iran’s influence in Iraq, but Iranian media outlets do not seem concerned by the apparent Iraqi-Saudi Arabia rapprochement. Saudi Arabia
Why did Saudi Arabia save Yemen's ex-president again? Saudi Arabia has once again rushed to the aid of Yemen's ailing ex-president, Ali Abdullah Saleh, leaving many wondering why the kingdom continues to back the ineffective leader. Saudi Arabia
How Salman’s Moscow visit will impact regional agenda The historic visit of Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud to Russia was largely symbolic, as his son, who has increasingly taken over the Russia file, stayed home to look after the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Can UAE be a bridge between the US, Sudan? The UAE has persuaded the United States to lift sanctions against Sudan given Sudan’s efforts to counter Iran’s expanding and consolidating regional influence. United Arab Emirates
Saudis tout humanitarian record in Yemen amid Washington backlash Saudi Arabia’s top aid official is in the United States to convince lawmakers and the US aid agency that it has Yemenis’ best interests at heart. Saudi Arabia
Events in the Middle East force realism on Erdogan After his Islamist-driven expectations fell by the wayside, Erdogan finds he has to cooperate with leaders he would rather not have talked to. Turkey
Bahrain goes public with shifting stance on Israel The statement by Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa condemning the Arab boycott on Israel publicly exposes the state’s change of attitude toward Israel and the ongoing contact between the two countries. Saudi Arabia
Is Saudi Arabia 'ready to turn page' on Iran? A shifting regional landscape may force a reset in Riyadh and Tehran; armed groups backed by the United States and Turkey battle outside Aleppo. Saudi Arabia
As Qatar-Bahrain rift widens, economic costs emerge Qatar’s economic and geopolitical separation from Bahrain and other GCC states will come with economic costs. Bahrain
