CIA complained US was blindsided by Saudi outreach to Syria and Iran: Report
US spy chief expressed
frustration with Saudi Arabia's independent foreign policy streak during
a meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman
CIA Director William Burns (L)
testifies during a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide
threats, in Washington, DC, on 8 March 2023 (AFP)
Published date: 6 April 2023
CIA director Bill Burns told
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman that the US feels
"blindsided" by Riyadh’s moves to restore ties with Iran and Syria as
part of the kingdom's increasingly independent foreign policy streak.
Burns travelled to Saudi Arabia at an undisclosed time this week to
discuss intelligence cooperation with the Saudi Arabians. During the
meeting, he expressed Washington’s frustration at being left out of
regional developments, according to the Wall Street Journal.
The visit, first reported
by the Washington Post, follows a series of surprise diplomatic
breakthroughs by Riyadh that have left the US on the sidelines, fanning
talk of the US's waning influence in the region.
Last month, Saudi Arabia agreed to re-establish ties with Iran, in a deal brokered by Washington’s arch-rival, China.
The announcement was initially greeted with skepticism
in Washington. A former senior US official speaking to Middle East Eye
when the news broke cast doubt on the validity of the reports while an
acting US official sought to downplay the breakthrough, explaining that
the US would wait to see its impact.
By all accounts, Riyadh and Tehran appear serious about moving the
relationship forward. According to the WSJ, Iranian President Ebrahim
Raisi has accepted a Saudi invitation to visit the kingdom, although no
date has been set.
On Thursday, the countries’ top diplomats met
in Beijing where they agreed to restore flights, bilateral visits for
private sector delegations, and facilitate visas for citizens. They also
said they would start the process of reopening their embassies and
consulates.
Burns’ comments challenge the US’s official line that Saudi Arabia kept it informed of its talks with Iran to restore diplomatic relations.
"The Saudis did keep us informed about these talks that they were
having, just as we keep them informed on our engagements,” White House
spokesman John Kirby said last month.
US officials have been quick to point out that they publicly
supported dialogue between Iran and Saudi Arabia long before Beijing
brokered the rapprochement.
![]()
Saudi Arabia and Iran agree to reopen embassies during new China meeting
Read More »
Timothy Lenderking, the US special envoy to Yemen, told MEE last year
on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly that the US was
“encouraging” talks between the two foes, particularly if it could
address Saudi Arabia’s security concerns in Yemen, where Iran has backed
Houthi fighters.
It is more difficult, however, for the US to position itself as a
winner from Saudi Arabia’s moves to reestablish ties with Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad, who is backed by Russia and Iran. The US says
it is opposed to normalisation and successive administrations have
imposed crushing sanctions on Damascus.
But Riyadh appears to be moving full-steam ahead to bring Damascus in from the cold.
The kingdom plans to invite Assad to an Arab League summit it is
hosting in May. Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is
expected to travel to Damascus in the coming weeks to personally deliver
a formal invitation to Assad, according to Reuters,
Burns has earned a reputation as the White House’s "back-channel" emissary for sensitive foreign policy missions.
He travelled to Russia late last year in a failed bid to warn
President Vladimir Putin against invading Ukraine. He also visited Saudi
Arabia ahead of President Biden’s July visit to the country, in a bid
to repair frayed ties.
His visit also comes on the back of Saudi Arabia’s surprise decision
on Sunday to implement an oil production cut that sent crude prices
skyrocketing. Saudi’s support for a cut in October last year was slammed
by the Biden administration as aligning with Russia amid the war in
Ukraine.
But the kingdom is brushing off US complaints. Saudi officials have
gone on the offensive, slamming energy transition goals - mainly
supported in the West - as unrealistic.
Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman has offered some of the
sharpest criticism: "We keep hearing you 'are with us or against us'. Is
there any room for 'we are with the people of Saudi Arabia?’” he said
after the Opec+ production cut in October.