The Debt Ceiling Deal Highlights America's Warped Priorities
By failing to invest in its own people, the United States shows the world the shakiness of the foundations of its power.
List of Saudi Arabia articles
![An image depicting former Saudi King Abdulaziz bin Saud (left), King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is seen on a building in Riyadh on April 16.]()
An image depicting former Saudi King Abdulaziz bin Saud (left), King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is seen on a building in Riyadh on April 16.
Saudi Arabia Is Extremely Popular in the Middle East
Mohammed bin Salman’s middle finger to Washington is burnishing Riyadh’s image.
![Ones-And-Tooze-podcast-series-1500x1000-site (1)]()
Ones-And-Tooze-podcast-series-1500x1000-site (1)
What Saudi Arabia’s Reconciliation With Iran Means for the Region
Plus: How could this affect the conflicts in Yemen and Syria?
![Newspapers in Tehran feature stories about the China-brokered deal to restore ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia on March 11.]()
Newspapers in Tehran feature stories about the China-brokered deal to restore ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia on March 11.
Adam Tooze: A New Middle East?
How the reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia could reorder the region.
![A fighter holds a gun, standing in rubble.]()
A fighter holds a gun, standing in rubble.
A Dose of Cautious Optimism on Yemen
Peace negotiations are picking up pace to end the deadly conflict.
![A man wearing a traditional white Arab headdress stands inside a synagogue.]()
A man wearing a traditional white Arab headdress stands inside a synagogue.
The Arab Autocrat’s New Religious Playbook
Middle Eastern leaders are promoting interfaith initiatives to disguise harsh policies at home and abroad.
![Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (left) and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud exchange documents after signing a memorandum of understanding in Beijing on April 6.]()
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (left) and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud exchange documents after signing a memorandum of understanding in Beijing on April 6.
The Real Motivation Behind Iran’s Deal With Saudi Arabia
The agreement is about far more than just normalizing ties with Riyadh.
![U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are seen during the Jeddah Security and Development Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 16, 2022.]()
U.S. President Joe Biden and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are seen during the Jeddah Security and Development Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on July 16, 2022.
OPEC+ Cut Shows Saudi Geopolitical Ambitions
Riyadh is shifting to non-alignment—and fighting to dominate oil markets again.
![Saudi fighter jets are displayed on March 6, 2022.]()
Saudi fighter jets are displayed on March 6, 2022.
Congress Has the Power to Halt U.S. Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia
If Biden is genuinely committed to human rights, he won’t stand in the way of a bipartisan Senate resolution.
![U.S. President Joe Biden (L) meets Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) at Alsalam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15, 2022.]()
U.S. President Joe Biden (L) meets Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) at Alsalam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15, 2022.
Why Washington Should Say No to Riyadh
Saudi Arabia wants a formal alliance in exchange for normalizing ties with Israel, but the focus of any deal must be U.S. national interests, not an ally’s.
![Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) accompanies Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud (R) during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, China.]()
Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) accompanies Saudi Arabian King Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud (R) during a welcoming ceremony in Beijing, China.
China’s Iran-Saudi Deal May Not Stick
Beijing will have a tough time balancing ties with Riyadh and Tehran.
![An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.]()
An Iranian man holds a newspaper reporting the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, in Tehran on March 11.
How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.
![Iran’s top security official, Ali Shamkhani (right), China's top diplomat, Wang Yi (center), and Saudi National Security Advisor Musaid al Aiban pose for a photo after Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume bilateral diplomatic ties after several days of deliberations between top security officials of the two countries in Beijing on March 10.]()
Iran’s top security official, Ali Shamkhani (right), China's top diplomat, Wang Yi (center), and Saudi National Security Advisor Musaid al Aiban pose for a photo after Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume bilateral diplomatic ties after several days of deliberations between top security officials of the two countries in Beijing on March 10.
4 Key Takeaways From the China-Brokered Saudi-Iran Deal
Anyone who believes we’re on the cusp of a golden era between Tehran and Riyadh should lie down until the feeling passes.
![Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.]()
Newspapers in Tehran feature on their front page news about the China-brokered deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia to restore ties, signed in Beijing the previous day, on March, 11 2023.
Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.
![JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - MARCH 09: L - R Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu helps US Vice President Joe Biden as he signs the guestbook at the Prime Minister's residence on March 9, 2010 in Jerusalem, Israel. The American Vice-President is in the Middel East to meet Israeli leaders including Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Jordan on Thursday. (Photo by Debbi Hill - Pool/Getty Images)]()
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL - MARCH 09: L - R Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu helps US Vice President Joe Biden as he signs the guestbook at the Prime Minister's residence on March 9, 2010 in Jerusalem, Israel. The American Vice-President is in the Middel East to meet Israeli leaders including Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before travelling to Jordan on Thursday. (Photo by Debbi Hill - Pool/Getty Images)
Netanyahu Has Drawn a Saudi-U.S. Road Map
But Joe Biden shouldn’t play along.
![Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks following a funeral procession carrying the remains of 200 Iranian soldiers recovered from former battlefields of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War in Tehran on Dec. 27, 2022.]()
Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks following a funeral procession carrying the remains of 200 Iranian soldiers recovered from former battlefields of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War in Tehran on Dec. 27, 2022.
Why Saudi Arabia Doesn’t Want Iran’s Regime to Fall
Riyadh seeks to leverage ongoing anti-government protests to extract geopolitical concessions from Tehran—not effect regime change.
![A photograph shows a sign of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Congress centre on the opening day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 16, 2023. - The world's political and business elites gather for the annual Davos summit to promote "cooperation in a fragmented world", with war in Ukraine, the climate crisis and global trade tensions high on the agenda. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)]()
A photograph shows a sign of the World Economic Forum (WEF) at the Congress centre on the opening day of the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 16, 2023. - The world's political and business elites gather for the annual Davos summit to promote "cooperation in a fragmented world", with war in Ukraine, the climate crisis and global trade tensions high on the agenda. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)
Is Geopolitics Damaging Industry?
FP convenes a discussion with four top global executives at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
![Players of the first Saudi women's national soccer team train at Prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2, 2021.]()
Players of the first Saudi women's national soccer team train at Prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdulaziz stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 2, 2021.
Washington Is Oblivious to the Importance of Saudi Reforms
The kingdom’s transformation has huge implications for the United States and Middle East.
![Hero-podcast-women-gender-foreign-policy-gates-foundation-1500x1000_site]()
Hero-podcast-women-gender-foreign-policy-gates-foundation-1500x1000_site
Protecting Migrant Domestic Workers
Migrant workers make up nearly 20 percent of all domestic workers. And in Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the number is much higher.
![Chinese President, Xi Jinping is welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 8.]()
Chinese President, Xi Jinping is welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Yamamah Palace in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Dec. 8.
Why Saudis Don’t Want to Pivot to China
For Saudis like me, nothing could be more disheartening than a divorce from the United States.
Load 10 More Articles
Saudi Arabia Is Extremely Popular in the Middle East
Mohammed bin Salman’s middle finger to Washington is burnishing Riyadh’s image.
What Saudi Arabia’s Reconciliation With Iran Means for the Region
Plus: How could this affect the conflicts in Yemen and Syria?
Adam Tooze: A New Middle East?
How the reconciliation between Iran and Saudi Arabia could reorder the region.
A Dose of Cautious Optimism on Yemen
Peace negotiations are picking up pace to end the deadly conflict.
The Arab Autocrat’s New Religious Playbook
Middle Eastern leaders are promoting interfaith initiatives to disguise harsh policies at home and abroad.
The Real Motivation Behind Iran’s Deal With Saudi Arabia
The agreement is about far more than just normalizing ties with Riyadh.
OPEC+ Cut Shows Saudi Geopolitical Ambitions
Riyadh is shifting to non-alignment—and fighting to dominate oil markets again.
Congress Has the Power to Halt U.S. Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia
If Biden is genuinely committed to human rights, he won’t stand in the way of a bipartisan Senate resolution.
Why Washington Should Say No to Riyadh
Saudi Arabia wants a formal alliance in exchange for normalizing ties with Israel, but the focus of any deal must be U.S. national interests, not an ally’s.
China’s Iran-Saudi Deal May Not Stick
Beijing will have a tough time balancing ties with Riyadh and Tehran.
How China’s Saudi-Iran Deal Can Serve U.S. Interests
And why there’s less to Beijing’s diplomatic breakthrough than meets the eye.
4 Key Takeaways From the China-Brokered Saudi-Iran Deal
Anyone who believes we’re on the cusp of a golden era between Tehran and Riyadh should lie down until the feeling passes.
Saudi-Iranian Détente Is a Wake-Up Call for America
The peace plan is a big deal—and it’s no accident that China brokered it.
Netanyahu Has Drawn a Saudi-U.S. Road Map
But Joe Biden shouldn’t play along.
Why Saudi Arabia Doesn’t Want Iran’s Regime to Fall
Riyadh seeks to leverage ongoing anti-government protests to extract geopolitical concessions from Tehran—not effect regime change.
Is Geopolitics Damaging Industry?
FP convenes a discussion with four top global executives at the World Economic Forum’s annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
Washington Is Oblivious to the Importance of Saudi Reforms
The kingdom’s transformation has huge implications for the United States and Middle East.
Protecting Migrant Domestic Workers
Migrant workers make up nearly 20 percent of all domestic workers. And in Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia, the number is much higher.
Why Saudis Don’t Want to Pivot to China
For Saudis like me, nothing could be more disheartening than a divorce from the United States.
Follow FP
