Iran Press/ Middle East: Washington does not view an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal as particularly likely, but has decided to ramp up efforts to reach one anyway, The New York Times reported Saturday.
The US ramps up efforts by the Biden administration to broker a deal in recent months, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan closely involved and Washington engaged in frequent conversations with both sides.
The New York Times report cited several American officials who assessed the chances of a deal at less than 50 percent.
According to the report, Saudi Arabia has demanded that the US cooperate with the kingdom on uranium enrichment for civilian purposes. Other demands by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are American guarantees to defend the country if it is attacked and the removal of certain barriers on arms sales to the kingdom.
Normalizing with Israel would be broadly unpopular, as Bin Salman told Blinken.
Washington does not view an Israeli-Saudi normalization deal as particularly likely, but has decided to ramp up efforts to reach one anyway, The New York Times reported Saturday.
The Times focused on growing efforts by the Biden administration to broker a deal in recent months, with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan closely involved and Washington engaged in frequent conversations with both sides.
US Mideast envoy Brett McGurk led a delegation to the region on the matter this week, it said. And Blinken, after visiting Riyadh earlier this month, held a 40-minute conversation with Prime Miniter Benjamin Netanyahu on the Saudi demands for an accord.
Still, the report cited several American officials who assessed the chances of a deal at less than 50 percent.
It noted that, as previously reported, Saudi Arabia has demanded that the US cooperate with the kingdom on uranium enrichment for civilian purposes. Other demands by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are American guarantees to defend the country if it is attacked, and removal of certain barriers on arms sales to the kingdom, according to two US officials cited by the paper.
The Times noted that another hurdle for any deal would be the US Congress, where weapons sales to the Saudis and enrichment agreements would be hard to swallow, though Israeli backing.
Today, Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister arrived in Tehran following the steps taken in normalization of relations between the two countries.
It has been the first visit by the Saudi foreign minister to Tehran since the bilateral ties soured back in 2016.
205
Read More:
Iranian, Saudi FMs meet, stress expansion of ties
