Saudi Arabia Pauses U.S.-backed Israel Deal, Looks Toward Iran

Saudi Arabia is putting a pause on the U.S.-backed deal that would have seen it normalize relations with Israel, two sources close to the matter told Reuters (Center bias).

The Details: Saudi Arabia is reportedly engaging with Iran in efforts to reduce violence and increase stability across the Middle East. Saudi officials reportedly communicated this decision to U.S. officials, yet an unnamed U.S. official reportedly said the U.S. remains in contact with the Saudis and has not been notified of a pause.

For Context: Saudi Arabia and Iran normalized diplomatic relations in April. The normalization plan for Israel and Saudi Arabia was an integral part of the Biden Administration’s ambitions to stabilize the Middle East. Many media perspectives and reports have emphasized how disruptive Hamas’ attacks have been to normalization efforts.

Key Quotes: National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, “We understand normalization is about sovereign decisions that these nations have to make for themselves. That’s not for the United States to dictate to them.” A senior Iranian official told Reuters Iranian-Saudi correspondence was “good and promising” and aimed to support "Palestine and prevent the spread of war in the region".

How The Media Covered It: Sources across the spectrum covered the news similarly.