Proposed naval drill sign of change in Middle East

Saudi Arabia has reportedly proposed a combined naval drill with Iran in the Red Sea. It is widely taken as a positive sign indicating the continuation of the improvement of relations between the two major countries in the Middle East, carrying positive significance to the region.

"Saudi Arabia has asked that we organize joint exercises in the Red Sea," the commander of Iran's navy, Shahram Irani, was quoted as saying by the Iranian news agency ISNA.

"Coordination is underway and delegations from both countries will hold the necessary consultations on how to conduct the exercise," he added, without providing details, including any timeline.

In April 2024, the two countries announced the resumption of diplomatic ties in Beijing shortly after the first formal meeting between the two countries' top diplomats in more than seven years thanks to China's mediation.

The rising tensions between Israel and Iran have prompted the latter to take the initiative to reach out to all regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, to persuade them to not allow the United States to take advantage of their land and airspace for anti-Iran military activities.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries have also taken the initiative to strengthen their contacts with Iran to avoid a wider war. That explains why Saudi Arabia has invited Iran to participate in the Red Sea military exercise.

Were it not for Beijing's earlier mediation efforts, a joint military exercise between Iran and Saudi Arabia would have been inconceivable one year back. China's pro-peace, pro-reconciliation and pro-development policy in the Middle East is in stark contrast to the United States' "America-first" policy in the region.

The Gaza conflict and its spillover effects are causing profound changes in the Middle East situation, as the US' regional allies become increasingly dismayed by Washington's one-sided pro-Israel stance, realizing that the US is by no means a reliable guarantee of regional security but rather a selfish troublemaker.

The continuous improvement of relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia should remind Washington that it's time it reexamined its Middle East policy and practices. Otherwise, more and more US regional allies will try to gain more strategic autonomy as they come to fully realize that the US does not sincerely regard them as allies, whether in regional development or regional security issues.