De-Escalation for the Gulf—Success and Challenge for China
China has effectively coped with its role of facilitator, but now the country will have to enforce the agreements reached In March 2023, seven years after diplomatic relations were severed, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) have agreed to reopen their embassies. This decision opens up the possibility of reducing tensions in the Gulf and, in the long term, in the entire region of the Middle East. Notably, both sides have stated the need to respect sovereignty, not interfering in the internal affairs of other states. This may entail not only the reopening of diplomatic representative offices but also a willingness to restore mutual ...