New Dimension of Tension in the Middle East: Chinese Expert's Assessment

Tensions are rising in the Middle East. Zhu Weile, Honorary Director of the Middle East Countries Research Institute at Shanghai Foreign Languages University, stated that the joint air strikes by Saudi Arabia and the US on Iran-backed militias in Iraq have taken the regional tension to a new dimension.Zhu noted that this attack was a response to the threat by Yemeni Houthis to target Saudi ports and trade ships in the Red Sea. He emphasized that Iran's reluctance to formally acknowledge its support for the Houthis, who have previously attacked Saudi Arabia, indicates Tehran's desire to avoid direct conflict with Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia and the US launched a joint attack on Iran-backed militias in Iraq in response to the threat by Yemeni Houthis to target Saudi ports and trade ships in the Red Sea. This situation shows that the Iran-US rivalry has gone beyond its previous boundaries and has become a new variable in the current geopolitical landscape of the Middle East.

Zhu stressed that Gulf countries should take a leading role in building regional security architecture and making independent decisions.

The most important issue now is to reduce tensions and resolve the conflict through political means. To achieve this, the mediation of countries such as Pakistan, Qatar, and others will be necessary.