US Secretary of State Anthony Blanken has arrived in Saudi Arabia on a mission to ease strained relations between Washington and Riyadh, which have been marred by differences over issues including Iran, regional security and oil prices.
During his visit to the capital Riyadh and the coastal city of Jeddah, Blanken is expected to meet with top Saudi officials, including Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also known as MBS. The visit follows a previous high-level visit by National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan to the White House on May 7.
The timing of the trip to Blankenship for the world’s biggest oil exporter coincides with Riyadh’s recent commitment to further cut oil production, an already tense conflict fueled by differences over Iran’s human rights record and policy. could potentially add further strain to US-Saudi relations. The goals of the visit include regaining influence over oil prices, countering Chinese and Russian influence in the region, and raising hopes for an eventual normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel.
Speaking to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, Blanken emphasized America’s national security interest in advocating diplomatic relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia. However, he cautioned that such a normalcy would not come soon. One of the key elements of Blankenship’s visit is to discourage closer ties between Saudi Arabia and China, as noted by Richard Goldberg, a senior adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
The US-Saudi relationship took a hit in 2019 when President Joe Biden took a hard line towards Riyadh during his election campaign. Biden’s release of a US intelligence assessment in 2021 implicating Crown Prince Mohammed in the crackdown on journalist Jamal Khashoggi further strained relations. Biden’s visit to the kingdom in July 2022 did little to ease tensions, as Riyadh sought to assert its regional influence while becoming less aligned with US priorities in the region.
Blankenship’s visit also comes against the backdrop of Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation initiatives and efforts to reduce dependence on crude oil. These reforms have been accompanied by the arrest of critics, including clerics, businessmen and human rights activists. American citizens and those living with family members detained in Saudi Arabia have urged Blankenship to press for their immediate release. While some US citizens have been released from Saudi prisons, others remain under the travel ban.
US officials have acknowledged ongoing discussions with Saudi Arabia on human rights and fundamental freedoms, but it is unclear whether Blankenship will seek specific guarantees from the Saudis on these issues. The visit represents an important diplomatic effort to address challenges and complexities in the US-Saudi relationship, promote dialogue and explore opportunities for cooperation in the region.