Saudi Arabia and Iran agreement likely to bolster regional stability

Last year, alarm sirens blared at a Saudi Aramco oil facility following a drone attack. The assault took place when the Yemeni army and the Saudi and UAE-led coalition-backed Giants Brigade advanced in southern Marib. These scenes are unlikely to repeat after Saudi Arabia and Iran reached an agreement to resume relations under Chinese sponsorship last week.

As days pass, the secrets of this agreement are becoming clearer. The first secret, revealed by Reuters, is that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, expressed his frustration last autumn over the slow progress in negotiations with Saudi Arabia. He called on his aides to accelerate the negotiation process to achieve results, leading to China's intervention. The second secret, also disclosed by Reuters, is that neither country will be a source of instability for the other.

The third secret is that the Saudi-Iranian agreement includes the cessation of secret arms shipments to the Houthis in Yemen, according to the American newspaper Wall Street Journal. The paper added that this step would contribute to reaching an agreement to end the ongoing conflict in Yemen in the near future. If Tehran stops arming the Houthis, it may pressure the group to reach a solution to the Yemeni war. However, a spokesperson for the Iranian mission to the United Nations declined to comment on whether Iran would suspend arms shipments.

The Saudi-Iranian agreement will enhance the security and stability of the Arabian Gulf region, according to Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan. Tehran will play a role in this by using its influence in the region, especially in Yemen, to support Riyadh's security, according to an Iranian official who spoke to Reuters.

In the end, all eyes will remain on the honeymoon between Saudi Arabia and Iran and its positive repercussions on the region.