How the Saudi-Iran reconciliation could transform the Middle East

How the Saudi-Iran reconciliation could transform the Middle East

Can a handshake transform a region? After long years of tension, Saudi Arabia and Iran decided in March to normalise diplomatic relations. Weeks later, the Saudi and Iranian foreign ministers met face-to-face - and the handshake took place. The landmark agreement entails patching up the rift by reviving a security cooperation pact, reopening embassies within two months and resuming trade, investment and cultural accords. The China-brokered deal could lead to a major realignment in the Middle East. And, while it is a coup for Beijing, it represents a geopolitical challenge for the United States. This week on Beyond the Headlines, host Ismaeel Naar looks at how Saudi Arabia and Iran were able to finally reach the negotiating table - and asks what the thawing of ties means for the wider region.

Episoder(477)

Ep 3. The Blast - Zero Hour

Ep 3. The Blast - Zero Hour

In Episode 3 of The Blast, The National’s Finbar Anderson recounts the day of the explosion. As The fire in Warehouse 12 grows in intensity, a fire crew arrives to try to tackle the blaze, but it’s li...

4 Aug 202127min

Ep 2. The Blast - The Six-Year Wait

Ep 2. The Blast - The Six-Year Wait

In Episode 2 of The Blast, The National’s Finbar Anderson and Sunniva Rose head down to the docks of Beirut port. They try to piece together what was happening in the six years the ammonium nitrate sa...

3 Aug 202131min

Ep 1. The Blast - The Russian and The Rhosus

Ep 1. The Blast - The Russian and The Rhosus

On August 4, 2020 the heart of Beirut was ripped apart by a huge explosion caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonating at the city’s port. The National’s Finbar Anderson was one of the thou...

2 Aug 202127min

The Blast from Beyond the Headlines

The Blast from Beyond the Headlines

On August 4, 2020 the heart of Beirut was ripped apart by a huge explosion caused by 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate detonating at the city’s port. The National’s Finbar Anderson was one of the thous...

1 Aug 202129s

Is France's anti-separatism law anti-Muslim?

Is France's anti-separatism law anti-Muslim?

An IT technician facing the sack for discussing voting habits at work or parents barred from home schooling their children.   It sounds pretty dystopian, but activists say a new French law may bring t...

29 Jul 202123min

Why some Saudis stop everything to volunteer at Hajj

Why some Saudis stop everything to volunteer at Hajj

Every year in Saudi Arabia, as the time of the pilgrimage to Makkah nears, thousands of people from the city and around the country gather to volunteer for Hajj. Often these people will give up their ...

20 Jul 202113min

Will Iraq's power problem ever end?

Will Iraq's power problem ever end?

Iraq’s summer is crippling the country. People are having to seek refuge indoors to escape scorching temperatures that regularly reach 50°C. But indoors isn’t much better with regular power blackouts ...

15 Jul 202123min

South Sudan faced war and famine, but what's next for the world's youngest country?

South Sudan faced war and famine, but what's next for the world's youngest country?

On July 9, 2011, when South Sudan finally became independent after a 56-year struggle and a bitter secession from Sudan, it was a dream come true for many. Roughly the size of the United Kingdom and...

8 Jul 202117min

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