In light of the newly reached Iranian nuclear deal and its expected repercussions on the security of the Gulf region in general and on Saudi Arabia in particular as well as the expansion of the Islamic State (IS) in the Middle East, the latest visits by head of the Gaza-based Hamas Movement, Khaled Meshaal and head of Lebanese Al Kuwat (Forces) political party Samir Ga'ga to the oil-rich kingdom can be analyzed. The Gulf countries, especially Saudi Arabia, are concerned the Iranian deal with Western countries may give Tehran further regional roles in volatile regions where proxies of Iran and Gulf countries are fiercely fighting as in Syria, Yemen, Lebanon and Iraq. Hence, the Saudi regime is pursuing an alternative foreign policy based on building a Sunni coalition in confrontation with the Shiite axis led by Iran. This new policythat bears effective consequences on the whole region includes achieving rapprochement with moderate Islamists including the Muslim Brotherhood group and its offshoots like Hamas. What proves the Saudi Arabia's new king's readiness to reshape his relations with Islamists in the region including the Brotherhood organization, according to the New York newspaper, is that the Salman Meshaal meeting was arranged by Qatar, the Brotherhood's main ally in the Gulf region. In this context, King Salman bin Abdel Aziz managed to get closer to ex-Iran allies including Turkey, Qatar and the pro-Meshaal political wing within Hamas as the Ezz Eldinne Al Kassam Brigades, the movement's military wing, are still loyal to Iran, the prime source of the movement's armament. Also, media reports indicated Hamas fighters have fought beside the Syrian Free Military and elements of Al Kassam Brigades have been training the Syrian opposition elements over the past two years. Among the Brotherhood-linked fronts that Riyadh depended upon was the Reform party in Yemen which helped the Saudi-led Storm of Resolve against the Tehran-backed Houthi militants. This Saudi-Brotherhood rapprochement is expected to bear noticeable consequences on the region and on Egypt in particular. The reopening of crossing borders between Rafah and the Gaza Strip over the past few days can be read in this direction. In this context, it is expected, according to political observers, that Saudi Arabia may exercise pressures on the Egyptian regime to reach a compromise with ousted Brotherhood group including the cancellation of death sentences issued against the group's senior figures in terror-related charges. Likewise, the Salman-Ga'ga meeting in the Red Sea city of Jeddah can be seen as a Saudi attempt to restructure the political alliances in Lebanon where the Iran-allied Hezbollah has great influence. Lebanese observers and media reports said the Christian politician Ga'ga, who also met Sa'a Al Hariry in Jeddah, will be a Saudi pressure tool against Hezbollah-backed Michel Aoun for favor of the Sunni prime minister Tammam Sallam. All the given facts refer to a Saudi policy reshuffling the whole region to form a Saudi-led Sunni alliance that may well confront the IranianWestern rapprochement.
