But Brian Katulis, the vice president of policy at the Middle East Institute, cautioned against what he called a lot of “noise” in Washington over the Saudi Arabia-Iran deal.
“The notion the Saudis are sitting around trying to give the middle finger to the Biden administration is born a little bit more out of our own hyperpartisan analysis,” Katulis said, adding Saudi Arabia wants to “maintain the close relationship they have with the U.S. and I think they see the noise in U.S. politics for what it is.”