Syria and Saudi Arabia have made an unforgettable move by agreeing to reopen their embassies, more than a decade after cutting diplomatic ties after Assad's harsh clampdown on protests which sparked Syria's civil war in 2011. This development marks a significant step forward in Damascus's return to the Arab fold.
The verdict was the result of talks in Saudi Arabia with a senior Syrian intelligence official, Reuters reports. The sources spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the subject. The verdict could indicate how the deal between Tehran and Riyadh may play into other crises in the region, where their rivalry has fueled conflicts including the war in Syria.
The governments are preparing to reopen embassies after Eid al-Fitr, a Muslim holiday in the second half of April.
The United States and several of its regional allies, including Sunni-led Saudi Arabia and Qatar, had backed some of the Syrian rebels. Assad was able to defeat the insurgency across most of Syria thanks largely to Shi'ite Iran and Russia.
The United States, an ally of Saudi Arabia, has opposed moves by regional countries to normalize ties with Assad, citing his government's brutality during the conflict antowardeed to see progress towards a political solution.
Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011 in response to Assad's brutal crackdown on protests. The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, said engagement with Assad could lead to Syria's return to the Arab League, but it was currently too early to discuss such a step.
While Assad has basked in renewed contacts with Arab states that once shunned him, US sanctions remain a major complicating factor for countries seeking to expand commercial ties.