Saudi Arabia need not fear Biden

The kingdom may be apprehensive about the incoming US president’s attitude towards Iran, but it could ultimately profit from the regime change

US president-elect Joe Biden faces unprecedented foreign policy challenges and opportunities amid a chaotic presidential transition, a fragile oil supply truce with fellow energy powerhouses Saudi Arabia and Russia, and a creeping wave of new pandemic lockdowns around the globe ahead of any game-changing vaccination programmes. His victory was hardly welcomed by many in the Mid-East Gulf, who are wary of Iran and all but openly supported the re-election bid of outgoing president Donald Trump. Yet there are silver linings that Saudi and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) officials are likely to see in Biden’s ascent to power, including an anticipated pivot to green energy as well as his political