US diplomacy shifts focus to Saudi Arabia: What's on the agenda?

US National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, has arrived in Saudi Arabia, focusing on security and economic files ahead of the US Secretary of State's visit to Riyadh in early June.

With Saudi Arabia becoming the dominant player in the Middle East, the US has once again turned its diplomacy engines towards the country.

According to Axios, Washington is eyeing the economy on the one hand and China on the other.

The US has brought an economic project to the Saudi capital to strengthen India's position in the Middle East to counter China's influence.

The project involves establishing infrastructure to link Gulf countries and other Arab countries via a network of railways with India.

Axios also revealed another file that Washington is discussing in Riyadh. During meetings, Sullivan presents his country's efforts to diplomatically resolve Iran's nuclear program, including the US desire for full normalization between Saudi Arabia and Israel.

Moreover, Sullivan has emphasized that this is a declared national security interest for the US.

In contrast, Riyadh's position remains unchanged, with no normalization with Tel Aviv before a two-state solution is reached.

According to an analysis by The Times of Israel, without a noticeable change in Netanyahu's relationship with Biden and his control over his far-right coalition, the circle of normalization with Arab countries is unlikely to expand.

With tensions between the US and China on the one hand and Saudi Arabia's friendly relations with both, the US-Iranian tension on the other hand and Saudi Arabia's newfound friendliness with both, and the US desire for a Saudi-Israeli friendship, the question remains whether Sullivan can 'successfully disarm all of the mines.'