Iran and Saudi Arabia: a New Détente?

The agreements on restoring diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh that were reached in Beijing in spring 2023 marked a shift in their interaction away from confrontation towards resolving bilateral disputes although the two countries remain rivals in the region. The main factor that stimulated Iran to move closer to Saudi Arabia was the economic difficulties in the country caused by sanctions, which affects, among other things, Iran’s ability to support its allies in the region. At the same time, Riyadh, which had pursued an active policy to confront Iran and its supporters since the mid-2010s, has not achieved its goals. The anti-Iran coalition that would have included Israel and the Sunni states of the Middle East region has proven never to become a reality. Mohammed bin Salman seeks to implement the Vision-2030 reforms. He is also preparing a ground for a change of power in Saudi Arabia that requires internal and external stability of the country, which is impossible without reaching agreements with Tehran.