US Secretary of State Meets Saudi De Facto Leader... Describes Meeting as "Very Productive"

During Middle East Tour to Curb Conflict Spread
Tony Blinken Meets Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman

Tony Blinken, the U.S. Secretary of State, met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, AFP reported on the 15th (local time).

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to AFP, Secretary Blinken, who is visiting Saudi Arabia, began talks with Crown Prince Mohammed in Riyadh at around 7:30 a.m. that day. Secretary Blinken is on a four-day tour of Middle Eastern countries to contain the escalation of the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian armed group Hamas.

Major foreign media reported that when asked how the meeting with Crown Prince Mohammed went, Secretary Blinken replied that it was "very productive." Previously, Saudi Arabia had been negotiating a plan to establish diplomatic relations with Israel through active U.S. mediation.

However, following Hamas's surprise attack on Israel on the 7th and Israel's subsequent counterattack, the Middle East situation has become chaotic, leading Saudi Arabia to put the negotiations on hold.

Some speculate that Hamas's recent attack on Israel aims to disrupt the 'Middle East d?tente,' including Israel-Saudi normalization, in order to maintain its control within the Gaza Strip.

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