Surprise Saudi-Iran detente, midwifed by China, has gone against the drift of Austin’s visit to the Middle East which was largely premised on an abiding antagonism between the two countries.
US defense secretary defers visit to Saudi Arabia
Austin traveled to the Gulf region earlier this week, a week after the chaotic US withdrawal from Afghanistan ended. He first went to Doha with Secretary of State Antony Blinken to visit the main base for the massive airlift set up by the United States out of Kabul.
