Why Saudi Arabia Is Following Iran to Join China and Russia’s Security Bloc

Newsweek – 3/29/2023

BY TOM O’CONNOR 

Saudi Arabia’s decision to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has come amid a wave of diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East bringing regional powers closer to China and Russia.

The decision, reached Wednesday through a memorandum approved by the Saudi Cabinet, would establish Riyadh as an official dialogue partner of the SCO, an economic and security bloc that counts China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan as members. Other dialogue partners include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Egypt, Nepal, Qatar, Sri Lanka and Turkey, while observers include Afghanistan (whose participation is uncertain since the Taliban takeover), Belarus and Mongolia.

Tehran was the most recent to see its status upgraded from observer to full member in September and Riyadh’s decision came just weeks after a China-brokered deal to resume Iran-Saudi diplomatic ties.

For Saudi Arabia, the move is the latest step toward rebalancing its major power relations that have been traditionally dominated by its ties with the United States.

“The Kingdom is pursuing a portfolio strategy of developing a number of strategic partners to complement its relations with the West,” Ali al-Shihabi, a Saudi political expert who formerly led the Arabia Foundation think tank and now serves on the advisory board of the futuristic NEOM city project, told Newsweek.

“China and the multilateral organizations it has established are an important part of that, not only in strengthening the ties with China but by allowing Saudi to benefit from China’s relations with others like Iran.”

Meanwhile, the U.S. has placed itself on the sidelines.

“Saudi’s diversification strategy attempts to fill in the gaps left by the U.S.’ loss of interest or will in maintaining the status quo in the region,” Shihabi said.