Hidden goals of temporary
convergence between Saudi Arabia, Turkey

Qodsna (Tehran) - The MENA region has witnessed new upheavals over the past years many of which are the result of the US election and the incoming US government.

In the meantime, the US government announced its decision to reduce forces in Iraq and Syria. Joe Biden's administration pledges to play a new role in the region that would be different than the policies of the Trump administration.

From the beginning of his presidential tenure, Donald Trump adjusted its policies around Israel, which led to the presentation of the so-called ‘the Deal of the Century’. The result of Trump’s policies was the formation of a new anti-resistance axis, encompassing the US, Israel, and some Arab regimes.

Arab rulers followed the US policies in the Middle East, stopping or at least reducing their support for the Palestine and Palestinian resistance against the occupation movement. Detaining Palestinians in Saudi Arabia because of supporting Hamas was one of the samples of US policies' impacts on Arab countries. At the same time, the Muslim Brotherhood was designated as a terrorist group, which brought the condemnation of some countries like Turkey and Qatar and led to further isolation of Qatar by some Arab countries. Turkey is also in dispute with Saudi Arabia and the UAE on some issues in the north of Africa and Yemen.

Over the past weeks, different outlets reported about a possible reconciliation between Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. While the UAE and Egypt do not completely support the reconciliation, different pieces of evidence confirm some signs of progress in the process of reconciliation between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. On the other side, it is likely to see the proximity between Saudi Arabia and Turkey. But here an important question arises: what is the role of Turkey in these developments?

The rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia in the region has created a situation for Turkey in which the country can take advantage of vital political matters and increase its influence. While Iran’s policy is interactive and based on convergence and participation instead of a totalitarian approach, the policies of Saudi Arabia and Turkey are not the same as Iran.

The Islamic Republic of Iran is an independent actor unlike Saudi Arabia and Turkey, and its principles of power have domestically been formed. As a result, the US considers Iran as an annoying actor in its regional policies, which are more in line with Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Considering the current US challenges in the Middle East, reconciliation of Arab countries with Qatar is on the US agenda.

The US government aims at making an alliance of the Muslim Brotherhood and Wahhabism against Iran with the support of Turkey and Saudi Arabia. As Iran’s main regional goal is the liberation of occupied Palestine, US officials are seeking to undermine the Palestinian issue and eliminate it from the center of attention. In fact, according to US plans, Wahhabism from Saudi Arabia and the Muslim Brotherhood – with the help of Turkish leaders – would get closer to act against Palestine and Palestinian resistance.

It is widely believed that governments in Turkey and Saudi Arabia have double-standard policies and misuse religion and religious beliefs for their interests. The trend of developments shows that hypocrisy does not have much power to advance the policies of international Zionism and its era is coming to an end.