Salman’s visit to Russia, a game through Israeli soft power

Qodsna:

Saudi king’s visit to Moscow opened a new page in the two sides’ ties after a long period of low cooperation since the Cold War due to US pressure.

The two sides started to exchange contacts two years ago in a bid to control the oil prices.

Saudi and Russia faced each other in the Syrian crisis with Saudi failing to change the Russian position despite any efforts. Moscow actually realized that its cooperation with Iran was in line with its national security so it was not ready to swap it for economic interest offered by Saudi officials.

Saudi for its part feels that the US has failed to offer due assistance to the country over Qatar crisis. The US failure besides the back to back defeat of the Saudi-backed forces in Syria and Iraq has made the country worried about its regional status. Add to this the Saudi failure in advancing its goals in Yemen.

Saudi seems to be modifying its foreign policy by devising newer hotbeds of crisis for the Iran-led anti-occupation forces in the region through the help of Israel. The Iraqi Kurdistan referendum may be considered in the same area.

Saudi king’s visit to Moscow may also be interpreted as a game within the turf of Israeli soft power in the region; Saudi seeks to use the power to have Russia separated from the Iranian-led anti-occupation resistance force. The expected by-profits may be the possible defeat of the resistance force in Syria and this potential development may lead to the failure of Iran-Turkey-Syria siege on a separatist Kurdistan through the Kurdish currents in Syria.

The ongoing threat of the ISIS-Nusra terror groups to Russia and its 30-milion Muslim population however would keep Russia from conceding to Saudi efforts.