The weakening of Iran’s geostrategic position has eased Saudi Arabia’s security concerns, but it has also propelled other regional powers, including Türkiye and Egypt, to exert regional influence. To address evolving regional challenges, Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (MBS), is expected to ask President Trump for ironclad U.S. security guarantees, advanced aircraft, and civilian nuclear technology when they meet in Washington on November 18. In part because of the Kingdom’s unquestioned legitimacy in the Islamic world, MBS’s cooperation is pivotal to the success of Trump’s Gaza peace plan. MBS is trying to calibrate relations with Trump while also preserving Saudi leverage over world oil prices by working with Moscow.
Saudi Arabia Faces Challenges and Opportunities – The Soufan Center
