“I’ve come this afternoon to talk about the bright future of the Middle East”—this is how the voice of US President Donald Trump echoed everywhere, among those who love him and those who oppose him. He chose to deliver his remarks in the evening in Riyadh, which was morning in the United States. He didn’t give a general speech, nor one specifically about US-Saudi relations, but instead focused his address on the region’s main issues.
He praised the economic changes in Saudi Arabia: “While your skill has turned dry deserts into fertile farmland, Iran’s leaders have managed to turn green farmland into dry deserts.” He added, “I’m here today not merely to condemn the past chaos of Iran’s leaders, but to offer them a new path and a much better path toward a far better and more hopeful future.”
Then he dropped a surprise on everyone by announcing a new American course: ending the rupture with Syria and lifting sanctions against it. Just two weeks ago, sources in the US State Department and even some White House advisors were rejecting any call to lift sanctions on Syria. Their response was: “Let’s wait until the end of the year and see!”
President Trump said he listened to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and didn’t just lift the ban, but also initiated the restoration of US diplomatic relations with Damascus, which have been severed since 2012.
He addressed the Iranians, hoping to persuade them to enter negotiations toward peace and abandon their nuclear project. He said Tehran will never obtain a nuclear weapon, and that he wants to make a deal with Iran in order to make the world a safer place. Responding to critics of his negotiations with Iran, he said he will always stand by peace and forging partnerships, adding that fools are those who think otherwise. The US President feels he can convince Iran to pursue complete change and he is giving them the chance.
The major event was his clear and unconditional announcement to restore relations with al-Sharaa’s Syria. Until yesterday, Syrian diplomats were banned from moving freely in New York, restricted to just a few city blocks, and the government was only allowed to receive a maximum of $15 million a month in foreign aid to cover employee salaries.
Why did he change his policy? Trump became convinced that it’s better not to hold the new regime accountable for sanctions placed on the old one, and not to punish the Syrian people over “future possibilities.” In reality, maintaining sanctions would have meant tearing Syria apart. Riyadh’s position was: give them a chance, so Syria’s fortune and future might change. Trump said, “It’s their time to shine. We’re taking (all sanctions) off... Good luck, Syria. Show us something very special.”
As for Saudi Arabia itself, he was keen to repeatedly express his appreciation and admiration for the Crown Prince, recalling his previous visit eight years ago and the positive changes that have since taken place. The US President said: I was right about the Crown Prince. “Today ... we take the next steps to make our relationship closer, stronger, and more powerful than ever before.” At the same time, he said the United States will confront any threat against it or its partners with “overwhelming strength and devastating force.”
