U.S. and Saudi officials are discussing the possibility of a defense pact between Washington and Riyadh, similar to the agreements the U.S. has with Japan and South Korea, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
According to the report, such an alliance is supposed to incentivize the Saudis to reach normalization with Israel.
Under a future agreement, the United States and Saudi Arabia will pledge mutual assistance if either country is attacked in the region or on Saudi territory.
According to current and former U.S. officials, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman believes that a defense pact with the United States is the most important component of his talks with the Biden administration on the issue of normalization with Israel. Saudi officials are convinced that a strong defensive alliance will help deter Iran or its proxies, even though Riyadh and Tehran have renewed diplomatic relations.
Bin Salman is also asking the Biden administration to help his country develop a civilian nuclear program, but Washington fears that this will be a cover for a military program designed to counterbalance Iran.
Meanwhile, the MEE website reported today that Turkey supports normalization efforts between Jerusalem and Riyadh. According to the report, Turkish President Erdogan expressed his support for the issue in closed talks with journalists and analysts on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. "Turkey views normalization between the two countries positively," Erdogan said in response to a question from journalists.
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