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

Also in this section
7 August 2025
Without US backing, the EU’s newest sanctions package against Russia—though not painless—is unlikely to have a significant impact on the country’s oil and gas revenues or its broader economy
6 August 2025
Diesel market disruptions have propelled crude prices above $100/bl twice in this century, and now oil teeters on the brink of another crude quality crisis
5 August 2025
After failed attempts to find a buyer for its stake in Russia’s largest oil producer, BP may be able to avoid the harsh treatment meted out to ExxonMobil and Shell when they exited—and could even restart operations if geopolitical conditions improve
1 August 2025
A number of companies have filed arbitration claims against Gazprom over non-deliveries of contracted gas or other matters—and won. The next step is to collect the award, but this is no easy task