Saudi Arabia’s Strategic Maturity Outpaces Turkey’s Ambiguous Role in Regional Diplomacy

As the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and South Asia undergoes rapid transformation, Saudi Arabia and Turkey find themselves on diverging paths. While both nations possess historical legacies and regional influence, their recent conduct on the world stage tells a clear story: Saudi Arabia is emerging as a pragmatic and stabilizing force, whereas Turkey’s inconsistent and often rhetorical approach risks diminishing its credibility.

Saudi Arabia: From Oil Power to Diplomatic Pillar

Saudi Arabia has been quietly redefining its regional and global role—no longer content with being just a hydrocarbon heavyweight, the Kingdom is increasingly demonstrating itself as a diplomatic power broker.

This evolution was on full display during the 2025 India-Pakistan crisis, when Saudi Arabia helped avert a major military escalation between two nuclear-armed states. Coordinating with the United States, United Kingdom, and UAE, Saudi Arabia:

• Sent diplomatic envoys to both New Delhi and Islamabad;
• Leveraged long-standing ties with both countries to advocate for restraint;
• Helped broker a ceasefire that de-escalated tensions in Kashmir;
• Framed the crisis as a regional issue requiring multilateral engagement.

This success built upon Riyadh’s expanding diplomatic posture—notably its indirect but essential role in the Abraham Accords, and its positioning as a bridge between Arab states and Israel. In a sign of growing influence U.S. President Donald Trump recently stated that  Syria could re-enter the regional fold—an initiative reportedly encouraged by Arab Gulf states, with Saudi Arabia viewed as instrumental in laying the groundwork for such shifts.

Saudi Arabia and Iran: From Rivalry to Realpolitik

Perhaps most notably, Saudi Arabia has opened the door to a new kind of engagement with Iran. In a region where competition has long overshadowed cooperation, recent proposals from Tehran to form a nuclear enrichment partnership with Saudi Arabia and the UAE signal a tectonic shift. While details are still emerging and skepticism remains, the very fact that Iran would propose such a partnership is a testament to Riyadh’s enhanced geopolitical weight and diplomatic leverage.

This move also reflects Saudi Arabia’s calculated pivot from ideological rivalry to strategic engagement, focusing on managing threats and fostering stability—even with historic adversaries. While Riyadh’s participation in any nuclear cooperation would be conditional and carefully managed, its involvement could act as a moderating force, helping ensure that regional nuclear ambitions do not spiral out of control.

Turkey: A Reactive Player in a Proactive Age

Turkey, by contrast, has struggled to articulate a coherent or consistent role in this evolving order. Though it has undeniable regional assets—NATO membership, military capability, and cultural influence—its recent foreign policy has often leaned more toward symbolism and posturing than diplomacy and pragmatism.

During the 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, Turkey offered vocal support to Pakistan, but failed to contribute meaningfully to de-escalation. This reactive stance, perceived in India and elsewhere as unhelpful, stood in stark contrast to Saudi Arabia’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy.

Turkey’s regional agenda in Syria remains equally contentious. While the Abraham Accords create a framework for broader Arab-Israeli normalization, Turkey has remained largely outside of this process—preferring unilateral interventions and maintaining a heavy military footprint in northern Syria. As the U.S. and Arab states begin exploring sanctions relief for Syria in exchange for normalization with Israel, Turkey risks becoming a spoiler, unable or unwilling to pivot toward peacebuilding.

A Shifting Balance of Leadership

Saudi Arabia’s growing influence is not accidental—it is the product of deliberate, long-term investments in diplomacy, partnerships, and regional stability. Whether through its role in de-escalating military conflicts, engaging in sensitive regional nuclear discussions, or supporting broader normalization efforts, the Kingdom is positioning itself as a mature and stabilizing presence in a volatile region.

Turkey still has the potential to contribute meaningfully to this evolving order. But doing so will require a shift—from rhetorical alignment and tactical maneuvers to strategic consistency and diplomatic leadership. Until then, Turkey risks falling further behind as others redefine the architecture of Middle East and South Asia diplomacy.

In this new era, Saudi Arabia is not just influencing outcomes—it is shaping the rules of engagement. Turkey, for now, remains on the sidelines, watching an opportunity that could still be seized—if it’s willing to change course.

“Give Us Proof”: Pakistan’s Terrorism Excuse Is as Old as the State Itself