Saudi Arabia: According to Saudi state media, Saudi Arabia and Syria are in discussions for resuming consular services between the two nations, a sign of potential rapprochement.

In 2012, Saudi Arabia closed its embassy in Damascus and expelled the Syrian ambassador because it had supported the Syrian opposition in the civil conflict.

The most significant advancement in Arab states’ efforts to normalise relations with al-Assad would be the restoration of ties between Riyadh and Damascus. Al-Assad was shunned by many Western and Arab nations after Syria’s civil conflict started in 2011.

According to a second local source close to Damascus, the two countries were getting ready to reopen embassies after Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday in the second half of April 2023. One of the local sources and a diplomat in the Gulf claim that the choice was made as a result of discussions with a top Syrian intelligence official that took place in Saudi Arabia.

The communication department of the Saudi government, the foreign ministry of the country, and the Syrian government have all remained silent on the situation. Later, as reported by Saudi state media, a representative of the Saudi foreign ministry acknowledged that negotiations to reinstate consular services were still ongoing with the Syrian foreign ministry.

The apparent resolution could be a sign of how Iran and Riyadh’s agreement may affect other problems in the area, where their antagonism has fueled wars like the war in Syria.

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