Geopolitics
The Silence of the Crown: MBS’s Failed Leadership as the Region Burns
A pattern of bold promises and quiet retreat—from Khashoggi to Yemen to the 2026 Iran war—as Mohammed bin Salman faces the limits of his own playbook.
Desk
6 stories
Geopolitics
A pattern of bold promises and quiet retreat—from Khashoggi to Yemen to the 2026 Iran war—as Mohammed bin Salman faces the limits of his own playbook.
Geopolitics
Mohammed bin Salman bet on closer ties with Iran; two years after a China-brokered deal, the Gulf is paying the price in strikes, closed shipping lanes, and a shattered stability narrative.
Geopolitics
A quadrilateral foreign-minister meeting on the regional conflict underscores Pakistan’s role as a diplomatic bridge—and growing coordination among non-Iranian capitals.
Geopolitics
The pact institutionalises decades of security cooperation; officials in Riyadh describe it as a structured umbrella rather than a sudden strategic pivot.
Geopolitics
Saudi Arabia’s role as guardian of Makkah and Madinah draws quiet questions in capitals from Kuala Lumpur to Cairo—usually voiced through theology, not headlines.
Geopolitics
Risk consultancies and academics describe aid and central-bank support as leverage; recipients sometimes pocket the cash and defy political asks.