Diplomacy

China's Role in Saudi-Iran Deal Shows U.S. Hegemony Is No More

Iran and Saudi Arabia have agreed to reopen their respective embassies. This news is neither unusual nor surprising as even hostile neighbors normally maintain diplomatic relations. The United States was aware of and did not object to these discussions, but it was China that brought them to a conclusion.

The Unstable Foundation of Earthquake Diplomacy

The humanitarian response to a natural disaster can be an opportunity to demonstrate the power of human solidarity among states and communities in conflict. While the levels of animosity and mistrust between Armenia and Turkey are great, they share the same volatile seismic geography that has killed tens of thousands of people in the last 40 years.

Saudi Arabia Isn't Looking to Do the U.S. Any Favors

The Biden administration is eager to build on the Abraham Accords and is seeking the ultimate prize, a peace deal between Saudi Arabia and Israel. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken recently stated that the U.S. looks to "deepen and broaden" normalization agreements between Israel and Arab states. Such a feat may be beyond the capacity of the United States' diplomatic leverage as its credibility has eroded significantly across the Middle East.

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