BEIRUT — The surprise announcement of a resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, thanks to a deal brokered by Beijing, underscores regional governments’ interest in a de-escalation of tensions — and China’s willingness to wield its economic clout to achieve it.
Although observers, especially U.S. officials, caution against attributing too much credit to Beijing for the deal, which was unveiled Friday, the rapprochement can also be seen as a wake-up call for Washington, with the potential to upend its longtime calculations and relationships in the Middle East.
Forging an alliance against Iran has united the U.S. and numerous of the region’s countries, and even had the once-unthinkable result of spurring diplomatic ties between Israel and several Arab states that previously refused to acknowledge Israel’s existence.
