Saudi Arabia would play peacemaker between Damascus and the Kurds — if Syria's Sharaa agreed

Saudi Arabia has emerged as a critical ally for Syria's new interim government. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman played a key role in getting the United States to lift many sanctions on Syria. Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa has made it clear that he wants the kingdom to have a big say in his country's affairs that would go beyond helping it finance its reconstruction. However, as Saudi researcher Aziz Alghashian explains, Saudi Arabia is not giving him a carte blanche.