vanchai tan/Shutterstock Save for later Print Download Share LinkedIn Twitter The China-mediated detente between Iran and Saudi Arabia last week represents a diplomatic breakthrough that was years in the making and brings with it the prospect of regional de-escalation. Iran’s restoration of ties with its Mideast Gulf rivals, including with the United Arab Emirates last year, and China’s growing appetite for Iranian oil will help counter Western efforts to isolate the regime — most recently over its military ties to Russia and suppression of dissent — and have brightened its economic outlook. But big questions remain about the fate of Iran’s nuclear program, and long-standing mistrust between Tehran and Riyadh tempers expectation of dramatic change.
