West Asia slowly pivots from US: Syria, Saudi Arabia to restore ties
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The Reuters report comes as the latest in a series of positive political shifts in the region.
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A Syrian national flag waves as vehicles move slowly on a bridge during rush hour, in Damascus, Syria, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2016 (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Syria and Saudi Arabia have agreed to restore diplomatic ties and reopen embassies, Reuters reported on Thursday.
Relations between the two Arab countries have been severed over a decade ago in 2012 after the international war waged on Syria started.
Read more: Permission granted: Syria to Saudi airlines asking to land in Damascus
Saudi Arabia is the latest country to have amended ties with Syria within the geopolitical changes the region is witnessing as negotiations of normalization of relations between Turkey and Damascus have been taking place since 2022, where both countries have taken several steps toward reaching an agreement of mutual interest to re-establish ties.
West Asia region has witnessed historic developments in recent weeks, on top of which was the rapprochement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, who announced earlier this month that they will restore diplomatic relations and reopen missions in respective countries after a series of talks between 2021 and 2022 mediated by Iraq and Sultanate Oman, and was sealed under the auspices of Chinese President Xi Jinping who brokered the final agreement between the two countries in 2023.
Read more: UN hopes Iran-Saudi agreement will impact Yemen positively
Upon the announcement, the GCC issued a statement where it welcomed the agreement on the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia after being severed for seven years.
The statement referred to the agreement as a step forward toward resolving differences and ending regional conflicts and tension.
