Saudi Arabia hints at how it would respond to Iran's nuclear threat

Saudi Arabia has signed a nuclear agreement with the United States, causing a stir in Jerusalem. Analysts decipher the motives of the parties, relying on publications by Saudi commentators. Former diplomat Michael Harari analyzes a column by Abd al-Rahman al-Rashed, who debunks the stereotype of a rushed deal and discusses the balance between China and the US, as well as the possibility of militarizing the Saudi project in response to the Iranian threat.

Saudi Arabia has signed a nuclear agreement with the United States, causing significant resonance in Jerusalem. The full text of the document has not yet been released, but analysts, including former diplomat Michael Harari, analyze publications by Saudi commentators. Abd al-Rahman al-Rashed, a former editor of major Saudi media, in a column for Asharq Al-Awsat, debunks the stereotype of a rushed deal, recalling that consultations have been ongoing for about a decade. He emphasizes that if negotiations failed, Riyadh would have turned to China, Russia, or Europe, but the conflict in the region showed the limited capabilities of Beijing in the security sphere. Al-Rashed notes that Congress's approval of a $100 billion military budget to counter the Iranian threat was seen by the Saudi side as a clear intention by Washington to protect its interests. The main question is the possibility of militarizing the Saudi project. Al-Rashed quotes the Crown Prince: if Iran acquires nuclear capability, the kingdom will strive for 'mutual deterrence.' At the same time, he believes that direct repurposing of civilian facilities may not be necessary, as there are 'various alternatives.'