How Saudi diplomacy can help resolve region’s crises

Under King Salman’s directives, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman last week attended a meeting with the defense ministers of Syria and Lebanon in Jeddah. According to the Saudi Press Agency, the parties signed an agreement emphasizing “the strategic importance of demarcating the borders between the two countries, forming legal and specialized committees and activating coordination mechanisms to address security and military challenges, particularly those that may arise along the shared border. Additionally, the parties agreed to hold a follow-up meeting in Saudi Arabia in the near future.”
This meeting came after direct communication channels between the Syrian and Lebanese governments broke down following clashes that took place along their shared border, resulting in injuries among both military personnel and civilians. These developments were accompanied by growing fears of further escalation and concerns related to the possible exploitation of these security flaws by gangs involved in drug smuggling and trafficking.
A Saudi source pointed out that Riyadh is committed to creating the best “conditions to resolve the dispute through diplomatic and political means that guarantee the restoration of security and stability. This aims to protect civilians from any harm or damage that could result from armed clashes along the shared border and to mitigate the humanitarian impact and negative repercussions of such events on the security and stability of both countries.” The source also stressed that Saudi Arabia firmly believes that “dialogue is the only way to reach a peaceful resolution to any dispute between Syria and Lebanon.”
Saudi Arabia has a vested interest in resolving the dispute between Beirut and Damascus, as the Kingdom has been a primary target of drug smuggling and trafficking operations originating from the shared border between the two countries. However, the meeting held in Jeddah was not solely focused on curbing drug and arms smuggling. It also aimed to “promote regional and international security and stability,” which is a key driver of Saudi diplomacy.
Meanwhile, a Saudi delegation, led by Ambassador Ali bin Hassan Jafar, arrived in Sudan. The delegation also included representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Saudi Fund for Development and the Saudi aid agency KSrelief. Riyadh considers that there is an ongoing large-scale humanitarian crisis affecting the Sudanese people and strongly believes that it cannot be resolved without halting the armed conflict and working toward a political solution. This move comes as a continuation of the joint Saudi-US efforts initiated in Jeddah at the outset of the fighting between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces.
Sudan is not only a neighboring country but also a key part of Saudi Arabia’s security landscape, particularly since millions of Sudanese nationals have lived and worked in the Kingdom in recent decades. Additionally, both countries border the Red Sea, which presents shared security risks if the conflict persists. The security of the Red Sea and the countries surrounding it is a priority for Saudi Arabia. This is especially true given the numerous economic and tourism projects it is implementing along its western coast, as well as the presence of the Two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic efforts are not limited to neighboring and Arab states, as they also extend to hosting Russia-US and Ukraine-US peace talks, which were praised by both US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Saudi Arabia is also communicating and coordinating with Ukraine and President Volodymyr Zelensky, who visited Jeddah and met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
It is important to recall, in this context, the broader Arab and Islamic diplomatic efforts led by Saudi Arabia since the events of Oct. 7, 2023, along with the international efforts it has exerted to end the Israeli aggression against Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon, and to contribute to the Global Alliance for the Implementation of the Two-State Solution. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been a key player in these efforts, serving not only as a policymaker but also as an executive body that implements royal directives. This means that the statements issued by the ministry, along with the positions expressed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, are an expression of the Saudi leadership’s positions and a practical interpretation of them.
The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs started out as a small office in Makkah during the reign of King Abdulaziz, before relocating to Jeddah and eventually to Riyadh. This carries a spiritual and cultural significance, as the ministry initially operated from the holy city, home to the Kaaba, toward which Muslims direct their prayers five times a day. Consequently, Saudi Arabia’s foreign policies are grounded in a moral and ethical framework that cannot be disregarded.
This compels the Kingdom to shoulder a greater responsibility as the leader of the Muslim world, providing Saudi Arabia with considerable symbolic power and capital. However, it also reinforces its commitment to principled approaches, making it less pragmatic when addressing issues that concern Muslims in general, such as the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. In this context, the crown prince has reaffirmed Riyadh’s commitment to this goal, stating that there will be no normalization with Israel without it.
Along with the broader values related to Islamic responsibilities, Saudi diplomacy is also characterized by a strong commitment to noninterference in the internal affairs of other nations.

Saudi Arabia’s foreign policies are grounded in a moral and ethical framework that cannot be disregarded.

Hassan Al-Mustafa

These policies rely on a participatory approach and amicable solutions, avoiding ruptures and conflicts as much as possible. They also prefer communication and dialogue over security and military confrontations. This principle has become evident in Saudi Arabia’s effective recent de-escalation efforts, whether with Iran, the Houthis in Yemen or neighboring Arab countries like Iraq, where the Kingdom has pursued containment policies despite the presence of hostile militias.
Flexibility in its positions is another hallmark of Saudi diplomacy, enabling the Kingdom to simultaneously engage with China, Russia, the US, Ukraine and the EU, despite their often conflicting interests.
This flexibility showcases Saudi Arabia’s strength and effectiveness. Despite being surrounded by nations facing chronic crises and armed conflicts, Riyadh has consistently demonstrated its ability to swiftly adapt to these changing circumstances. Its relationship with Syria’s new rulers stands as a prime example of this flexibility, which is based on realism, strength and caution at the same time, as it moves neither too hastily nor too slowly.

• Hassan Al-Mustafa is a Saudi writer and researcher interested in Islamic movements, the development of religious discourse and the relationship between the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Iran. X: @Halmustafa