US President Donald Trump’s decision to make Saudi Arabia his first stop on his inaugural foreign tour was neither coincidental nor impulsive. It came as a result of the rising political and economic stature of the Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia. The United States has realized the significance of Saudi Arabia in boosting the US aspiration to maintain its global status at a critical juncture where great challenges are mounting. The visit underscored the United States’ acknowledgment of Saudi Arabia’s pivotal role in restoring regional stability and shaping the future of the Middle East. No significant initiative in the region, the United States believes, can succeed without aligning with Riyadh’s vision—laid by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has proposed transforming the region into a dynamic and modernized “new Europe.” His vision, rooted in regional potential and collaborative realism, has gained momentum as Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states expand their global influence in sectors such as AI, technology, and rare earth minerals, as well as pursue an effective foreign policy, and roles as influential mediators between great powers; the aforesaid sectors constitute some of the main drivers of global interactions today.
Trump’s visit to Saudi Arabia highlights that Saudi Vision 2030 is the most realistic initiative in the region, distinguishing it from the ideologically driven agendas of Israel and Iran, which have long contributed to instability and loss of opportunities for cooperation and development in the Middle East. Israel is a state with an expansionist project and ambitions for regional hegemony, disguised under a religious cover of a Jewish homeland in the Promised Land as stated in the Torah, which the Jews believe in. To achieve this goal, Israel has launched several wars against its neighbors, explicitly committing ethnic cleansing, displacing Palestinians and aiming to end their cause. Further, Israel has threatened to expand its borders and change the whole landscape of the Middle East; it has returned to the policy of occupation, including ongoing incursions into Syrian territories and refusal to withdraw from parts of Lebanon. The current Israeli leadership continues to express ambitions to annex further Arab territories, a stance that threatens to deepen regional instability and undermine the prospects for peace and legal order across the Middle East.
Iran, like Israel, pursues an ideological vision for reshaping the Middle East—one that has fueled instability by undermining the foundations of the nation-state. Through support for sub-state actors and the promotion of sectarian narratives, Iran has contributed to the erosion of national cohesion and the weakening of state institutions, particularly in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. This strategy has accelerated the fragmentation of the regional order and imposed severe human and material costs without yielding tangible benefits for the region or even for Iran itself. Ultimately, this project has proved unrealistic and collapsed in the first real confrontation.
While Israel and Iran pursue border-disrupting policies that have escalated regional tensions for their own interests—culminating in the sharp escalation following the events of October 7, 2023—the Gulf states, particularly Saudi Arabia, have charted a different course. They have embraced an ambitious project to invest in their resources and capabilities, repositioning themselves in the regional and global arena. Their aspiration is clear: for the Middle East’s decisions to be shaped by its own people. By successfully reordering domestic priorities, they have laid ambitious plans to bolster their ruling legitimacy through political, economic, and social transformation driven by good governance.
Againt the backdrop of regional turbulence, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states have adopted a pragmatic and assertive foreign policy rooted in strategic diversification, balanced use of hard and soft power, and alignment of external engagement with domestic priorities. This approach has enhanced their regional and global influence and allowed them to independently address external threats. Within this framework, they have advanced a vision for a “Third Way” in the Middle East—first articulated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman—centered on regional cooperation, stability, and economic development, rather than chaos and conflicts.
Seeking to draw both Israel and Iran into this vision, some Gulf states joined the Abraham Accords, aiming to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict and integrate Israel into a peaceful regional order. However, the events of October 7, 2023, exposed Israel’s strategic intent to exploit Gulf outreach, sideline the Palestinian cause, and pursue expansionist goals. Its actions have revealed a preference for escalation over peace, rooted in interpretations of Torah verses. Israel has capitalized on the region’s critical juncture to expand settlements, displace more Palestinians, and deepen divisions among regional states to undermine their solidarity. To a significant extent, Israel has shaped the US role, steering it away from neutrality and mediation to bolster its hegemony and violations, advancing plans to keep the region weakened and in conflict.
As part of its broader strategy to reduce regional escalation, Saudi Arabia took a significant step by signing the Beijing Agreement with Iran, shifting the relationship from confrontation to dialogue. This diplomatic breakthrough has offered Iran a historic opportunity to reconfigure its regional ties and break its isolation, challenging long-standing assumptions that perpetual conflict with Iran was inevitable. The move has marked a pivotal moment in redefining Gulf-Iran relations and demonstrated Riyadh’s commitment to conflict resolution.
Meanwhile, with Trump’s return to the White House, his efforts to reshape US engagement in the region—particularly through attempts to end the Gaza war—have stalled due to the Israeli far right’s insistence on using force to advance expansionist objectives. At the same time, his administration’s initiatives to ease tensions with Iran remain uncertain, with ongoing nuclear talks mediated by Oman. Yet both Israel and Iran still appear guided by entrenched ideological visions, each committed to pursuing their own rival regional agendas.
Pursuing a vision rooted in regional peace and stability, Saudi Arabia capitalized on a moment when the United States sought to reaffirm its global dominance. Viewing this as an opportunity to deepen strategic ties with its most powerful ally, Riyadh responded positively to Trump’s suggestion of a $600 billion investment as a precondition for his visit—offering even greater commitment during the visit. It is no wonder Trump chose Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states for his first visit, seeking effective mediators and partners amid crises and conflicts, as well as reliable global allies in smart technology, rare metals, and global transport networks—sectors poised to define the future international order. Through a clear and integrated strategy, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners have positioned themselves as indispensable players across a spectrum of domains. The visit underscored the growing international recognition of the Gulf states’ rising influence in global conflicts and their emergence as effective actors that international powers eagerly seek to engage. They have proven themselves to be effective influencers, and indispensable regional forces that impact the decisions of great powers.
Notably absent from Trump’s diplomatic engagement were Iran and Israel. Iran, in particular, is urged to undertake a critical reassessment of its regional strategy, mirroring the introspective pivot its Gulf neighbors have successfully executed. Such a reorientation could position Iran to claim the influential regional role it merits, becoming a constructive partner in a transforming Middle East and a proponent of regional security and peace. Iran must seize the opportunity presented by the Beijing Agreement and abandon its tendency to view the region through the prism of ideology and narrow self-interest. Clinging to a demonstrably ineffective regional agenda and an unproductive nuclear ambition risks further isolating Tehran. Crucially, Iran should capitalize on the presence of a US president capable of navigating establishment and bureaucratic constraints, as well as the Gulf states’—particularly Saudi Arabia’s—readiness to facilitate Iran’s reconciliation with the United States, the international community, and the region.
Israel, likewise, is urged to abandon the reckless policies driven by its extreme right-wing leadership and seize the historic opportunity for a comprehensive settlement and normalized relations with regional states. Yet, Israel persists in its destructive approach, resulting in its marginalization after Trump resisted pressure to include it in his regional visit. Consequently, Israel emerged as a significant loser when Trump stepped back from expanding the Abraham Accords, notably retreating from efforts to include Saudi Arabia. This shift came after the two nations had neared a historic agreement to normalize relations before the October 7, 2023, attacks.
Saudi Arabia’s success in persuading the US president to lift sanctions on Syria stands as compelling evidence of the emerging Middle East development project envisioned by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Through astute diplomacy, the kingdom has accomplished what militarism and chaos could not, laying the foundation for a transformative regional agenda. This initiative carries profound implications for advancing development across the Middle East, heralding the emergence of a new regional order.
Ultimately, the Gulf states are reshaping not only the regional landscape but also the global order through diverse partnerships in advanced technological cooperation, particularly in AI, rare earth minerals, international trade corridors, military collaboration, crisis mediation, and the coordination of more peaceful political stances. These partnerships will help identify the most influential international and regional powers in the future, shaping the regional power structure, the character of the international system, and the flow of its interests and relationships. Undoubtedly, this endeavor represents a bold step forward in the vision led by Saudi Arabia and its Gulf partners for a new Middle East—one rooted in fostering peace and cooperation. This stands in stark contrast to the projects of Iran and Israel, which remain rooted in illusions of regional hegemony and narrow, self-serving visions for reshaping the region.
