RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA— U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry was received by H.E. Khalid Al Falih, Saudi Minister of Energy, Industry, and Mineral Resources, during his visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two parties discussed means to enhance the relations between the two countries in the energy fields, including cooperation opportunities in clean energy. In… Keep reading →
Royal rivalries, oil uncertainties, and premature optimism about reform initiatives could jeopardize the kingdom’s hopes for transformative economic change. On April 25, 2016, Saudi Arabia announced Vision 2030, an ambitious economic plan intended to confirm the kingdom’s status as “the heart of the Arab and Islamic worlds, the investment power house, and the hub connecting… Keep reading →
Talks this week with the Saudi deputy crown prince are expected to cover current issues including Iran, “radical Islamic terrorism,” Syria, and Yemen, as well as perspectives on the longer-term future of the Middle East. The visit by thirty-one-year-old Prince Muhammad bin Salman, a son of King Salman, who turns eighty-one this year and is… Keep reading →
Regardless of how the details surrounding Sunday’s launch shake out, it was an unhelpful move at a time when the Trump administration is determining its policy toward Iran’s missile program and broader regional behavior. According to recent media reports, Iran conducted a weapons test on January 29 that involved either a nuclear-capable ballistic missile, a… Keep reading →
Recent statements out of Washington and Riyadh have inadvertently widened the differences between the two allies, hindering the incoming U.S. administration’s options for resolving the Yemen conflict. On December 13, U.S. officials announced that the sale of about 16,000 guided munition kits to Saudi Arabia would be blocked due to concerns that the kingdom’s poorly… Keep reading →
The surprise visit may have been intended to shore up various aspects of the Saudi-Pakistani defense relationship, perhaps including their suspected arrangement regarding access to nuclear weapons. On August 28, Saudi deputy crown prince Muhammad bin Salman (aka MbS) made an unexpected three-hour stopover in Islamabad on his way to China and Japan. The Asia… Keep reading →
The deputy crown prince’s first solo trip to Washington confirms his preeminence in the Saudi hierarchy but could spur pushback from royal rivals. On June 13, Prince Muhammad bin Salman, known as MbS, arrived in the United States for a visit that will likely include New York and the west coast as well as Washington.… Keep reading →
Washington will be pleased to see Riyadh bolstering another key regional ally, but the potential development of Jordan’s nuclear sector could cause headaches, and the political costs for Amman remain unclear. In early April, Saudi Arabia agreed to provide Egypt with a financial aid package reportedly worth $22 billion. Less publicized, but perhaps equally significant,… Keep reading →
The success of Riyadh’s new economic policy will partly depend on changes in social and political attitudes, as well as greater transparency on legal and other issues. In 1984, a British ambassador departing Saudi Arabia at the end of his tour wrote a “valedictory telegram” defining the kingdom in terms of three “I’s” — Islam,… Keep reading →
The executions earlier this month followed an upsurge in convictions in the Specialized Criminal Court. On Tuesday, al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri responded to Saudi Arabia’s execution of forty-seven people on terrorism charges by urging Saudis to overthrow their royal family. The January 2 executions continue to stir debate about why the death sentences were carried… Keep reading →
